Falling
by banana.x.phone
Summary: Penny decides to go back to school and in the process of improving herself academically, she finds her self falling for her crazy neighbor. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own anything related to The Big Bang Theory. Please don't sue me, I'm a starving student with an overactive imagination.  
**

**Chapter 1**

Penny had a spring in her step as she headed toward the mailboxes. She had just gotten back from an audition and for the first time in a while, she felt awesome. The part was for a new sitcom series and she thought she nailed the audition. The part was a naval ship captain who commanded a band of misfits.

During the audition, she was on her "A" game. The panel was friendly and they seemed genuinely interested. '_This is it!' _she thought to herself. She smiled to herself as she grabbed the mail from the box. The lobby door opened and she overheard her nerdy neighbors arguing over Iron Man.

"Hey guys!" She interrupted.

"Hey Penny, how are you?" Leonard chimed.

"Penny." Sheldon said in an acknowledging tone with a small smile.

"I just got back from an amazing audition in L.A." She smiled at Sheldon and Leonard. "I'm pretty sure I got the part!"

"That's great Penny, I'm sure you'll get it." Leonard said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Thanks, Sweetie!" She replied with quick smile and bounced up the stairwell alone.

She got to her door and quickly pressed inside. She flopped on her teal couch and sifted through her mail. Bill, bill, shoe flyer, bill. She set her bills down on the coffee table and sunk into the softness of the couch cushions.

Soon she wouldn't have to worry about her power being cut off for a few days every other month, soon she would be receiving real actress pay checks and soon she would be recognized for her talent, instead of her looks. Her looks didn't hurt things though.

She had to start her shift at the Cheesecake Factory in an hour, so that meant she had time to freshen up or have a nap. _'Nap it is!'_ She thought as she shifted her position on the couch.

After setting the alarm on her phone for thirty minutes, she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. She drifted off to sleep in a matter of minutes and it seemed not even seconds later, her alarm was blaring at her to get up.

"Oh my God! Naps are never long enough!" She shouted at her phone as she turned off the alarm.

She rubbed her eyes and stretched out her arms. Swinging her legs off the couch, she got up and sluggishly moved to her bedroom where she changed into her Cheesecake Factory uniform. She walked into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. It was just a matter of time before she could quit her waitressing job and start work as an actress.

She would be a real actress; no hemorrhoid commercials, no plays above bowling alleys, and no more one night showcases of Rent. She fixed her makeup, threw her hair up into a messy ponytail and walked into the living room. After fishing her keys out from between the couch cushions, she walked out her apartment door and left for work.

Her shift flew by like a tornado. A kid threw up on the floor and splashed her shoes, a table of drunken men was being crass with her, and she dropped a tray of glasses. She felt exhausted and her feet barely dragged her body to her car.

Her phone started to buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked at the call display. It came up as 'Unknown Number'. She answered in a chipper tone.

"Hello, this is Penny speaking."

"Hi Penny, this is Sandra from the studio, we saw you audition this afternoon." The voice replied.

"Oh Yes! Sandra, how are you?" Penny replied cheerfully despite her exhaustion.

"Penny, I regret to inform you that you did not secure the role you auditioned for."

"Okay, I understand" Penny said in a cool, even tone. Tears stung her eyes and she quickly wiped them away.

"Thank you for your consideration." She sighed and hung up the phone.

Her purse dropped to the ground and she leaned against her beat up, rust bucket of a car and began to sob. She couldn't help it. Her dreams were shattering before her eyes. She had convinced herself that she got the part. She was counting on the money and she wanted the job so badly.

After letting out a few angry sobs, her breath hitched in her throat. She slammed her fist against the roof of her car. "God Damn It!" She screamed out into the cool night air. She angrily wiped her tears off her face and took a deep breath.

This wasn't working. For years she had tried to be an actress and failed. She got into her car and started driving home. "What the fuck do I do now?" She whispered to herself.

The tears began to sting in her eyes again. "No! You are stronger than this!" She chastised herself and pawed at her face. She deserved far more than a shitty waitressing job and constantly being rejected because she was "too this" or "not enough that".

Pulling into the parking lot of 2311 Los Robles Avenue, she parked in her spot and made her way to the lobby. The cool air felt good against her hot face as she walked briskly to the building.

She opened the lobby door and was met with Sheldon. He had a basket of folded laundry in his hands, no doubt the last load of the evening. "Good evening, Penny" Sheldon greeted her as she struggled to look like her happy, usual self. It was quite the feat because her face was red and her eyes were puffy and bloodshot.

"Hey Sheldon." She said unenthusiastically.

She tried to keep her face turned away from his as they quietly walked up the stairs. They reached their floor and Sheldon turned to Penny.

"I know that it is none of my business, but since you seem upset and it is social convention, would you like to come in for a hot beverage?" She looked at him and almost burst into tears again.

"Sheldon, I would love a hot beverage. Tea if you have it." Her eyes sparkled with the tears that she held back. He opened his door and they entered the apartment.

He set his laundry basket down in the hallway and walked into the kitchen. Penny sat down on the middle cushion and waited for her tea. She loved the boys' apartment; it was so comfortable and it was always clean, it felt like a home away from home.

She offered Sheldon a small smile as he made his way to his spot with a cup of tea for Penny in his hands. He handed her the tea and she held the warm mug in her hands. She already was beginning to feel better.

"Where's Leonard?" She quietly asked. Sheldon sat down and settled into his spot.

"He and Howard and Raj went to the movies and afterward they are going slumming around some night club attempting to achieve coitus with strange women, only to fail miserably, I might add." He replied flatly. She looked up into his face and gave a quick smile.

"Penny, you know that I am not one for banal chit chat; however, I consider you to be one of my closest friends. So, I would like to proceed by inquiring why you seem, in your vernacular, so glum, chum?" He smiled and folded his hand in his lap.

His smile was soft and sincere. It was much more sincere than the last time he tried to comfort her when she was distressed. She remembered his creepy forced smile he offered when she dislocated her shoulder.

"I didn't get the part I auditioned for, Sheldon" She confessed.

"I didn't even ask why this time. I know it was because I look too Midwestern or because I'm not ten pounds lighter or because my hair isn't blonde enough." He looked at her and looked puzzled.

"Penny, given your previous attempts at succeeding in your chosen professional endeavors, I can say that the statistical probability of you getting that part was astronomical. Are you really surprised?" Her eyes narrowed at him and she felt the urge to pour her hot tea in his lap, but she knew he meant well. She knew that despite his harsh words, he was only speaking factually.

"Sheldon, I just .. I just don't know what to do. I have wasted years trying to break through the acting scene and I've failed. I can't do it anymore. I'm sick of being what people don't want and cast off like I was yesterday's garbage. I'm sick of serving people food at the restaurant and having to pretend to be nice to horrible people. I'm sick of failing and being nobody." Her puffy eyes started to well up again and she felt sick to her stomach. Sheldon looked at his friend whose head was in her hands.

"Penny, have you ever considered improving your situation academically? Granted, you are most likely too late to obtain a doctorate, or even a master's degree, but earning a bachelor's degree could assist you in achieving an improved source of revenue and undoubtedly keep your electricity on. Also, September is approaching quickly, you could apply for the Fall semester." She looked at him and didn't say anything; she just looked into his blue eyes.

They were like deep infinity pools. When did they get that blue and why did she never notice them before? After setting her tea on the coffee table, she stood up and smiled at her Whack-a-Doodle neighbor.

"Thanks for the tea, Sheldon. I appreciate your advice. Have a good night." She said as she walked out of his apartment and into hers.

Could she do it? Could she afford to go back to school? Was this something she was going to fail at again? Her head filled with questions as she moved to her bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all of the alerts! **

**Since I have 8 chapters written out, I thought I would treat you with Ch. 2 :)  
**

**Reviews are appreciated and encouraged.  
**

**Chapter 2**

Light filtered through her bedroom window as she opened her eyes. She had strange dreams throughout the night. She stretched in her bed and rolled over to look at the clock. _'8:05, fuck.' _She thought as she tried to go back to sleep.

Her mind kept going back to what Sheldon asked her last night. What if she went back to school? What would she even study? She picked up her phone from the side table. It would be 10:05 a.m. in Nebraska if she called now, her dad should be back from farm chores. She dialed and pressed the phone to her ear. It rang twice and then the line picked up.

"Hello?" Her dad answered.

"Hi, Dad. It's Penny."

"Hey Slugger! How is sunny California?" She looked down at her chipped nail polish. He sounded tired.

"Oh y'know, same old, workin' hard. Hey, dad, I was wondering if you still had that money put away from when I went to college." She replied. Her dad was shuffling some papers on the other side of the line.

"Penny, I saved that money for you to go to school. You dropped out and now you want that money for something else? You know we don't have much and I worked very hard for you to get an education." Penny sighed at her father's response.

"Dad, I know what that money is for. I was actually thinking about going back and getting a degree. This whole actress thing isn't working out, so I was hoping you could give your favorite daughter a helping hand." She confessed. Her dad cleared his throat.

"Pen, I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I still have some money put away. If you are serious about puttin' it to good use, I could send it to you." He offered.

"I am serious, I need something more in my life and this is really my only option. Please dad, I need a push." She pleaded.

"Okay Pen, I'll send you the money. I'd better not find out that you gone and spent it on some crazy L.A. spa day or something." She heard him chuckle.

"Thanks, Dad. I love you" She said as she smiled into the phone.

"I love you too, Slugger. And for the record, you're my favorite daughter because you're my baby daughter. We'll speak soon." He concluded.

Her head pressed against her pillow as hung up the phone. _'I think I can actually do this!' _She thought. She just had to figure what "this" was. Lazily, she got up and headed toward the shower. After stripping off her pajamas and getting into the tub, she turned on the taps and let the warm water engulf her body.

She would have to get a student loan to pick up the additional costs, and she also had to figure out what she wanted to pursue for her degree. Her hair lathered up quickly and her thoughts washed away with the thick vanilla scented suds. She ran the soap bar over her curves and lathered up her soft skin.

Her mind started to wander to her neighbors blue eyes. Seriously, when did they ever look that deep? When was Sheldon ever that nice? When she thought about his eyes she felt like she was drowning in the ocean. How could she have never noticed them before?

She imagined staring into his amazing eyes and his hands cupping the sides of her face to pull her into a soft kiss. As the water trickled down her back she imagined they were Sheldon's hands gently caressing her. She felt her stomach fill with butterflies and uncertainty.

She quickly realized that she was fantasizing about Dr. Crazy next door. _'What the crap was that about, Penny?' _ Her mind screamed at her. She turned down the heat in her shower and quickly finished up in the bathroom.

She got dressed and turned on her laptop. She spent about an hour looking at programs that she could start in just over three weeks at Pasadena City College. After deciding that she enjoyed working with people; she also loved buying things, so she decided to enroll into the marketing program.

With those credentials, she could get a job at any number of marketing firms in L.A. Maybe she would run the head of a huge ad campaign one day. She was very excited and decided that she would wait until she was accepted before she shared her news with anyone.

Luckily she had the day off, so she began to day dream about school. Last time she was in school, she was eighteen years old and chasing boys around school. That took over her studies and she began to fail her courses. She met Kurt and they left for California together.

This time it would be different. She wasn't a naïve, little girl anymore, she could distance herself from boys this time around and she was prepared to focus on her studies. Maybe she would adopt Dr. Whack-a-Doodle's practice of ignoring her "baser urges". _"Penny keeping it in her pants? Yeah right!'_ She giggled at the thought.

Her school girl fantasies were interrupted by Sheldon's infamous knock. After the final round of three knocks followed by her name, she opened her door to see her neighbor standing there.

"Hello Penny." Sheldon said as he covered his throat with his arm.

"Good morning, Sheldon. What's up?" She replied cheerfully. He looked her over to observe her overall demeanor. He concluded that she seemed approachable and cheery, so he moved his arm back down to his side. Penny suppressed a giggle because to someone who wasn't fluent in Sheldonese, they would have mistaken his eyes raking over her as him, checking her out.

"Penny, as you know, we are friends, and as your friend, I am just merely "checking up on you", so to speak." He offered a quick smile and she mirrored his expression.

"Thank you, sweetie, I really appreciate it. I'm sorry for unloading on you last night. I know that kind of stuff isn't really your thing. I feel ten times better today." She apologized.

Sheldon's gaze moved past her face and to her laptop that was sitting on the coffee table. He squinted and saw the city's college website open on the screen.

"Penny, why do you have the Pasadena City College website open on your laptop?" He asked. She glanced over her shoulder and back to his expectant expression. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him into her apartment.

"Shhh, Sheldon, don't say that too loud!" She hissed.

Closing the door, she brought him over to the couch. He sat down beside her and glanced at his wrist. She still had a firm grasp on it. He wanted to disinfect it immediately, but he had to admit that her hands were soft and her touch was not unwelcome. She followed his eyes and saw that she was still touching him. She pulled her hand away and clutched it to herself as if she had been burned.

"Sorry." She sheepishly said. Sheldon blankly stared at her in confusion.

"Penny, why am I sitting on your couch and why did you "Shush" me?" Sheldon inquired. She noticed he was looking at her quizzically. She looked at her laptop and thought _'Well, the cat's out of the bag.'_

"Sweetie, look, I didn't want to tell anyone yet because I'm afraid I won't get in, but I've applied to the college's marketing program. What you said last night, I really took to heart and I'm just sick of going nowhere. Can you keep this a secret?" Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"That's wonderful, Penny!" Sheldon exclaimed. "However, you know how I feel about keeping secrets. I don't think it is reasonable for you to ask me to keep this secret based on an ex-post-facto basis. You remember what happened last time you engaged me in the covenant of secret keeping and then Howard gave me that funny tasting milk." Penny looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"Sheldon, c'mon, you don't even have to say anything, because no one is going to ask about it!" She complained. He let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, Penny. I will try my best to keep your secret, however I don't think this is something that is secret worthy. You shouldn't be embarrassed about this." He shifted in his seat and stood up. "Have a pleasant day, Penny." Sheldon concluded as he strode towards her door.

"Wait!" She cried. He turned around to face her. She looked up at him and quickly rose up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. Sheldon froze and he looked terrified.

"Thank you, Sheldon, you're a great friend." She said. He quickly turned and opened her door.

"You're welcome, Penny." He quietly said. With that he strode across the hall and disappeared into his apartment. She sighed and closed her door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Sheldon quickly closed the door behind him, leaned against it and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. His eyes quickly scanned the room. Leonard seemed to have gone out as his keys weren't in the bowl. He strode over to the couch and sat in his spot.

His cheeks were still red and they tingled. He put his hand on his cheek and took a deep breath. Why would she have kissed him? Why did she invoke such a strong and unfamiliar emotional response from him? Why didn't he mind her lips pressed against his skin? Sheldon heard keys jingle outside the door and quickly turned on the television. The door opened and Leonard waltzed in and tossed his keys into the bowl.

"Hey buddy! Where were you? I ran out of soy milk, so I had to run to the grocery store. I thought you might have liked to come with me." Sheldon looked up at his roommate looking slightly dazed. Leonard moved to the fridge to put away his groceries.

"Oh. We aren't due to go to the market for another week, why would you assume that I would've liked to have gone with you?" He looked at Leonard expectantly.

"Oh, well, never mind. Where were you?" Leonard asked again.

"I was over at Penny's. She was distressed last night and I went over to ensure her psychological state had returned to normal." He replied. Leonard furrowed his brow and cocked his head slightly.

"What was Penny upset about?" Leonard inquired in a cocky, jealous tone. Sheldon sighed in exasperation.

"Leonard, why do you constantly try to engage yourself in Penny's personal problems?" Sheldon asked. The more Leonard asked about his encounter with her, the more he would be put under pressure to reveal Penny's secret. He did not want to betray Penny, so he hoped he could steer the conversation in a different direction. Sheldon continued.

"The both of you mutually ended your relationship two months ago. I'm not sure that I understand why you are constantly concerning yourself with things that no longer affect you." Sheldon smugly concluded. Leonard gaped at his friend.

"Forget it, Sheldon." He said defensively.

Sheldon excused himself and went to the sanctuary of his bedroom. He had to figure out why Penny kissed him today. It probably meant nothing, but if it did mean nothing, then why was she plaguing his thoughts?

Thanks to his eidetic memory, he easily recalled how gently she placed her hands on his chest to steady herself. He could feel her soft lips pressed against cheek as his stomach twisted into knots. Her scent was intoxicating. She smelled like vanilla and cinnamon.

The kiss was chaste and innocent, but the way her lips lingered on his cheek suggested otherwise. He felt a twinge of guilt run through him, though there was nothing to feel guilty about. Penny wasn't otherwise occupied in a relationship and neither was he. He had contemplated altering the paradigm of his and Amy's friendship, but he was not sexually attracted to her.

He couldn't even begin to imagine being intimate with Amy. Penny, on the other hand was quite aesthetically pleasing, he had felt this way since the day he had met her. The thought of her often assisted in his "weekly maintenance".

Amy and Sheldon had an intellectual connection, and he couldn't bear to have that change. Penny didn't have quite the intellectual capacity as Amy Farrah Fowler, but she did keep him on his toes. She challenged his reasoning and they argued. No one had ever argued with Sheldon the way Penny had.

She was also quite competent in the social component of human interactions, where he was quite inept in that area. Perhaps she was the Yang to his Yin; the light to his dark. In binary, she would be one and he would be zero. He smiled and lay back on his pillow, closing his eyes.

_He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He deeply breathed her scent in. He pressed his lips to her neck and twisted his long fingers into her blond wavy hair. She pressed her body closer and rocked her hips against his. She let out a soft moan as she lightly raked her nails across his shoulder blades. _

_"Penny..." he murmured out loud while pausing to catch a breath. _

Sheldon's eyes snapped open as he quickly sat up in his bed. He could feel his heart figuratively jump out of his chest. _'Oh dear Lord! Get a grip!'_ he thought to himself. He ignored his obvious arousal and began to recite the stars nearest to him. "Proxima Centauri's the nearest star, the celestial bodies that follow are: Alpha Centauri A, Toli, Barnard's Star, Wolf 359…"

**o.O.o.O.o**

'_Sheldon could be such an ass sometimes.'_ Leonard thought as he plunked down into the armchair what if he and Penny were no longer dating? What business of it was his? Sheldon did sort of have a point though. He really didn't have the right to ask about the private conversations Sheldon had with Penny.

In the back of his mind, he knew their relationship was over for good. He knew that it would be erroneous on his part to try to pick their relationship back up where they dropped off. They just didn't work as a couple.

The sex was amazing and he enjoyed introducing people to his hot blond girlfriend, but they didn't really have anything in common and they didn't really talk about anything.

She would try to talk to him about his work and she would try to understand what he was saying. He would ask how her job was going and he would pretend to be interested in hearing about her serving people food. After there was nothing else they could talk about, they would usually make out and end up in bed.

He didn't really like to include her in his activities because he was insecure and thought that she wouldn't be interested. It was painful to try to fake interest in shoes or Brad and Angelina. The relationship fell apart and after a while he asked her what they were doing.

She felt that the relationship was not very meaningful, after all they really only had a strong sexual component. They both agreed that they wanted something more and that they couldn't provide that to one another.

His phone chimed. It was a text from Priya. He unlocked his phone and read the text.

"_Hey, I heard you called it quits with Penny. That sucks" _Leonard looked at his phone and contemplated his reply.

"_Yeah. Didn't work out. I'm a trooper though :P" _He hit the send button. What was he doing? Why send the emoticon for playfulness? He furrowed his brow as his phone buzzed.

"_I remember ; ) I was hoping we could get re-acquainted. I'm coming back to Cali next Wed. and I have my own place lined up this time. Are you free next Friday?" _

Leonard was struck with awe. Last time he and Priya were together, they both had cheated on each other. Her more so than him, but after time he forgave her. What he did was equally as bad as what she did. He mulled it over, and decided what the hell? Things seemed to make sense when he was with her.

"_I am free actually, how about I pick you up at 7:00 pm, I'll plan a nice romantic evening for us" _He smiled and put his phone back into his pocket. Sheldon appeared from his room and he looked slightly flushed.

"You're going to have to get your own Chinese food on Friday. I have a date." Leonard said with a wide smile adorning his face. Sheldon pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge and began to complain.

"But Leonard, we were going to play Space Invaders on the Atari! Raj and Howard can't make it because they have prior engagements. Now I have to spend my Friday night alone, conquering my own high score? What fun is that?" Sheldon pouted. Leonard just smiled. He kind of felt bad for the guy.

"Maybe you could ask Penny to join you. You know, since you two have super-secret conversations and all." Leonard snidely shot back.

"N-no we don't! You know I can't keep secrets, so why would we have secretive conversations?" Sheldon glared at him and stammered. Leonard just smiled at his friend's discomfort.

"You just saying that just proved my hypothesis." Leonard teased. Sheldon suddenly felt hot and put the water bottle to his forehead

"Did you turn up the thermostat, Leonard?" Sheldon said accusingly as he turned to go back to his room. It was so easy to ruffle his feathers. Leonard should have given him a break, but it was just too easy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you everyone for all of the alerts and reviews. I have quite a bit of the story written and I want to get you guys to where I am so badly! I know I might be a posting monster, but I'm just really excited about the development of the story.  
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**As per usual, reviews are nice to read. Feel free to say hello.  
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**I don't own. At all. kthxbye.  
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**Chapter 4**

The morning shift sucked. Penny hated having to get up early and serving old people who really only came in for coffee and the tips were terrible. Then the lunch rush would come in, but people were always so rude and they could be so demanding. It wasn't her fault that they didn't give themselves enough time to eat. Maybe they should have gone to McDonald's instead of trying to rush through their lunch break.

She started her shift at 9:00 am; she would be out of there by 4:30 pm and in comfy pajamas by 5:15 pm. She only had a few more hours to go. She put on her best 'Give me your money' smile and zipped around the restaurant, taking care of her tables. Time actually went by quicker when she focused on getting the job done, so she carried on trying not to break her concentration.

Before she knew it, she was clocking out and walking towards her car. The drive home was pleasant. There was not too much traffic, plus she was jamming out to Beyoncé, so she didn't mind that she was stuck behind a slow Honda Civic.

Pulling out her phone, she checked her email as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. In her inbox was an email from the admissions office of the college. She quickly stuffed her phone back into her pocket and began to take the steps two at a time. Wanting to be in the safety of her own apartment, just in case she got bad news, she quickly entered her apartment and shut the door behind her. She sucked in a deep breath and continued her way to her sofa.

She heard three knocks on her door followed by her name. She let Sheldon finish his knocking ritual and opened her door.

"Hey, Moonpie! What's up?" She smiled at him. He scowled in return.

"Penny, only MeeMaw calls me that." He let out a small sigh and continued.

"Since Leonard, Raj and Howard have effectively abandoned me tonight. I was wondering if you would care to join me for Vintage Video Game night. As it is Friday, I ordered Chinese food and I was going to indulge in a light-hearted round of Space Invaders on the Atari, but as that will likely not interest you, I can make a compromise and we could play the classic 1985 release of Super Mario 2 on the Nintendo Entertainment System." He gave a quick smile as Penny blankly stared at him.

She had to pick apart his long winded sentence to get his point. Why couldn't he had just said, 'Hey Penny, want to come over for Chinese and Mario?' She frowned a little.

"Penny, have I said something to upset you? Do you not like Super Mario 2?" Sheldon asked. She shook her head and her frown quirked up into a smile.

"No, sweetie, I'm fine. That sounds great. Give me 20 minutes and I will be over." He nodded and walked back to his apartment. She closed her door and began to change out of her grimy work clothes.

She pulled out a cute purple tank top and a pair of white sweats. She popped her feet into her Hello Kitty slippers and she washed her face. As she crossed through her bedroom to her front door she glanced at her alarm clock. _'15 minutes, not bad Penny.' _She silently congratulated herself.

Padding her way over to Sheldon's place, she smiled at the fact that he had invited her to play Mario with him. Her stomach grumbled as she walked in and the smell of cashew chicken and jasmine rice invaded her senses. Sheldon was setting up the NES for them.

"Oh look, it's Penny!" He quipped as he flicked his eyes over to her. He glanced at his wrist watch "I wasn't expecting you so soon." He let out a gaspy laugh.

"You should be proud of me! I'm four and a half minutes ahead of schedule." She beamed.

"I should be _proud?_ Penny, while I will agree that punctuality is an admirable quality, it is hardly something that I should feel pride over." He scolded.

He handed her a controller and turned on the gaming system. She set it aside and picked up a plate of food and began to eat. They sat in silence as Sheldon dominated the first level, she looked over at him.

"I got an email from the admissions office today." She stated as she pushed around her food. He put the game on pause and turned toward her.

"Well, what did it say?" He asked. She looked into his eyes and sighed.

"I don't know. I haven't looked yet." Her eyes darted away from his and she set her food on the coffee table. He looked at her more intently.

"Well, why not? I thought you were waiting for this email for the past week?" He said. She looked back into his blue eyes again and they seemed to smolder. He had a serious look on his face and she suppressed the urge to take his chin in her hand and playfully squish his cheeks. Her shoulders shrugged.

"I guess I'm a little scared." she replied sheepishly. He looked away from her and stared into space for a second and then turned his attention back to her.

"That's ridiculous; there is no need to feel fear. You should feel excited!" He exclaimed. His eyes lit up with unabashed academic passion.

"Give me your phone." He instructed holding out his hand expectantly.

"Sheldon, you really don't have-" His eyes narrowed at her, interrupting her mid-sentence. "Penny, your phone. Give it to me." He restated in a more commanding tone.

He was still holding out his hand and he moved his fingers in a grasping motion, coaxing her phone from her. She groaned and handed it over. He pressed the home button and slid to unlock. Her email was already open and he clicked on the document in question. He began to read aloud.

"Dear Ms. Beeckman," He looked up from her phone and gave a short gaspy laugh. Penny glared at him and defensively folded her arms across her chest.

"WHAT?" She spat. He still had a little smile on his face but as he looked into her stern looking expression it faded.

"Penny." He began. "You share the same surname as Dutch physicist Isaac Beeckman. He rejected the internal cause of motion, and put forward a principle of inertia for both circular and rectilinear movement. You see, when there is no impediment, there is no reason why the velocity and curvature of movement should be altered."

He looked at her and she was staring at him with a look of confusion. His mouth twitched as he realized there was no point to further his explanation and looked back to her phone. "But, I digress." He turned back to her phone and started over.

"Dear Ms. Beeckman. We have reviewed your application and we are pleased to offer you admission to the Pasadena City College, for the Fall semester. During the review process, we have taken into consideration your transcript from the Metropolitan Community College in Nebraska and we have attached a list of courses that will transfer into our Marketing Degree Program." He quickly looked over to her and smiled. Her eyes sparkled and she thrust herself onto Sheldon, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug.

"I got in!" She exclaimed through a wide smile. Her breath was hot against his neck.

Sheldon sat there awkwardly, his hands hovering above her back. She felt his hand settle on her shoulder blade and she gave him a final squeeze and pulled away. She smiled at him and tears began to stream down her face.

"Sheldon, I got in! I can't believe it! I got in!" She cried.

Sheldon began to feel uncomfortable and got up to grab a box of tissues. He quickly thrust them toward her. She took the tissues and dabbed her wet face. "There, there." He mumbled as he reached out and lightly touched her shoulder.

"You still want to play Mario?" she asked catching her breath. He nodded and settled back into his seat. Handing a game controller over to Penny, he smiled at her.

"Congratulations, Penny. I really do think that you have the potential to succeed in your academic endeavours." He said in the most sincere tone she had ever heard come out of the mouth of Sheldon Lee Cooper. She smiled back at him and they resumed their game.


	5. Chapter 5

**Again, thank you for all of the alerts, reviews and PMs.  
**

**Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Sick!Sheldon.  
**

**It's a little short, but I hope you enjoy anyways.  
**

**Chapter 5**

Sheldon awoke with a lump in his throat and his body ached. His mouth was dry and he felt congested.

"Leonard!" He shouted from his bed.

He sat up in his bed and reached into his side table to grab his thermometer. He quickly read his temperature and flopped back down in his bed. He didn't have a fever but he was sure it would soon rear its ugly head.

"Leonard! I'm sick!" He yelled into the seemingly empty apartment, hoping his roommate hadn't escaped.

He got up and wrapped his comforter around his lanky frame. Feeling a slight head rush, he grasped onto the door frame until the pressure subsided. He continued on his way, shuffling toward Leonard's bedroom. He knocked three times and shouted for his roommate.

After his third round of knocks he opened Leonard's door and was met with his perfectly made bed. Sheldon sighed and shuffled toward the living room. He stopped in the kitchen and filled up the kettle with water. He was interrupted with loud banging on his front door. He set the kettle on the stove and walked toward the front door.

"Sheldon! Sheldon Cooper, you come unlock this door right now!" Penny yelled through the locked door.

'_Good, now I can chastise her for bringing foreign pathogens into my home and infecting me with her corn husking illnesses.' _He thought as he unlocked and opened the door. Penny looked like a hot mess, and she had her own comforter wrapped around her body like a gigantic towel. Her hair was messy and she had dark circles under her eyes. She was wearing a pull over Nebraska hoodie that was two sizes too big. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him in his comforter.

"You got me sick Sheldon Cooper!" She snarled at him. "I can't afford to be sick! I lost out on good tips today because I had to call into work sick. I also start school in just over two weeks and I can't afford to miss classes." She huffed as she pushed past him into his apartment. Sheldon closed the door and crossed his arms through his blanket cocoon.

"Penny, that is highly unlikely as, in the past, _you_ have always been the one to infect me with _your_ germs. I am glad you are here though because now you can take care of me. The kettle is on the stove, be a lamb and make me a tea?" He retorted as he settled into his spot. She threw her hands up in the air and stomped into the kitchen.

Sheldon watched Penny as she prepared their tea. Her movements were sluggish and exaggerated. Her face was flush with colour and her expression was soft. Sheldon always thought she was attractive, but he liked her more when she was just Penny. He liked it when she was with minimal makeup and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Not so much today, she looked like a hobo. He smiled at her as she moved slowly toward the couch with their drinks and sat down beside Sheldon.

"Here you go _Moonpie_. One tea for a sick Shelly-bean." She sarcastically said as she looked over at him.

He scowled and his right eye twitched as his hands grasped the hot beverage. She flicked on the television and left it on a Firefly re-run. Sheldon squirmed in his seat. He was so uncomfortable and now he couldn't even lie down on the couch.

"Penny, will you move over so I can lie down?" He pleaded.

"No. I'm not moving. You can just put your legs over me." She huffed. He looked at her skeptically and put on his best pouty face.

"Penny, I'm sick. Can't you just move?" He whined. She grabbed his comforter covered legs and draped them over her lap. She could feel his body stiffen.

"I'm sick too, Sweetie. Now we're both comfortable and we can finish watching this show." She smiled and turned her attention back to the television. She felt him shuffle into a more comfortable position and she placed her hands on his knees.

At first he felt like she was violating him, even though they were both wrapped in comforters, his legs were touching her legs and they were in very close proximity to each other. His mind started to think about the germs, but then quickly rationalized that they were both sick and probably had the same illness so the chances of obtaining any additional sickness-inducing pathogens was minimal. He shifted and grabbed the Vicks Vapo Rub from the end table behind his head.

"Penny, will you rub Vicks on my chest?" He held out the jar and she grabbed it from him.

She watched as he lifted his shirt and exposed his chest. He was very lean and fit and his stomach was flat. His skin was like soft cream. A few small freckled were peppered over his abdomen. She expected him to be pastier. Her eyes followed the trail of hair from his belly button to the top of his pajama bottoms.

"Stop leering, Penny. I won't hesitate to give you a strike, and right now you can't afford another one." He quickly chastised her. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"If I rub you down with Vicks, you have to sing Soft Kitty to me." She countered.

He rolled his eyes and huffed. Her eyebrows rose up on her forehead and he gave in with a small nod. She opened the container and scooped a glob onto her fingers. As she brought the medicine to Sheldon's chest he quickly stopped her.

"Counter clock-wise or my chest hair mats." He reminded her.

She smiled, gave a quick nod and proceeded. He stiffened under her touch and then quickly relaxed as her fingers made small, slow circles on his chest. He let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes. With her free hand, she reached for his forehead and placed the back of her hand against his cool skin.

In a swift motion she brushed his short hair to the side. The feeling of her hand in his hair was gone as quickly as it came. He opened his eyes and stared into her bright green orbs. He took a deep breath and looked away.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Penny. You're the only person who knows how to do it to my specifications." Once more, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Since it's Mother's Day, I have decided to give you guys a present. At the request of Dutchess Cross, my rubber arm has been twisted and I'm giving you guys Chapter 6.  
**

**I suppose they could have been posted as one chapter anyway.  
**

**:P  
**

**Chapter 6**

Leonard walked up the stairs and pressed his key into the lock. Priya had asked him to stay the night after their date and he didn't hesitate to agree. They spent the day in her apartment without clothes and with plenty of whipped cream.

He opened the door to his apartment and found a sleeping Sheldon and Penny on the couch. Not wanting to wake them he delicately placed his keys into the bowl and padded into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of juice, sat at his desk and examined the sleeping duo.

She was slumped over on him, her head resting on his hip. Their hands somehow found each other and had intertwined. Leonard had never conceived that he would ever see anything like this. He contemplated the notion of Sheldon and Penny, together, as a couple.

They were exact opposites but somehow they worked in theory. Leonard had often observed in his field that opposites attract. Perhaps, it worked with people too. Penny was a negatively charged electron attracting Sheldon, who was a positively charged proton.

Leonard could imagine them as a couple, the way they fought and challenged each other made sense. The more he thought about it, the more he thought that they kind of were already couple, but they just didn't share the romantic aspect of the relationship.

He focused on their intertwined hands and thought that they kind of looked cute together. That would never happen though. Leonard was pretty sure that Sheldon didn't have a deal. Sheldon was probably the larval form of his species. Some day he will spin a cocoon and emerge two months later with moth wings and an exoskeleton.

As Leonard contemplated the "relationship" that would never be, he noticed Sheldon shifting in his spot and pulling Penny closer to him. She was now nestled into his arms and resting on his chest. Leonard smiled at the snuggling "couple" and returned to his work on his laptop.

As he was researching the scale dependence of twist-3 Quark-Gluon Operators for single spin asymmetries, he noticed Sheldon stirring out of the corner of his eye. He looked over to the couch and watched as Sheldon realized that he was cuddling with a very ill Penny on the brown leather sofa.

Sheldon quickly scanned the room and spotted Leonard in his desk chair watching him. He moved the pillow that was cradling his neck underneath Penny's neck and shimmied off the couch.

"Where were you Leonard?" He questioned in a hushed tone. Leonard smiled and cocked his head.

"I was out with Priya. We had a lovely evening and I decided to stay the night, and the day." Leonard said with a smirk. Sheldon looked offended and shot him a disgusted glare.

"I was not inquiring about your sexual conquests, Leonard. Please spare me the details of your spending time with Raj's sister." He practically spat. Leonard smiled at his roommate. Sheldon continued.

"Leonard, I am sick and I wish that you would have concluded your daily activities sooner as I have been forced to turn our apartment into a quarantine zone." Leonard's eyes widened as he jokingly put his t-shirt over his nose and mouth.

"Is that why you've been snuggling with Penny?" Leonard inquired through his shirt. "Because you are "both sick"?" He teased.

Sheldon looked over at his sick neighbour and quickly smiled. He turned his head to Leonard and was met with a smirk and raised eyebrows.

"Leonard, it's not like that." Sheldon defensively countered.

"We are plagued with a bacterial contagion. Who got whom sick is irrelevant, but we were just seeking the comfort of someone familiar. And besides, she knows my routine and knows my specifications when I'm ill." He concluded. Leonard gave an understanding smile.

"Whatever you say, Casanova. And by the way, I know how to take care of you too, y'know. You wouldn't have sought comfort with me and I sure as hell wouldn't have snuggled up to you." Leonard rationalized.

Sheldon felt a flush of embarrassment rise up into his face. Why would Leonard have referred to him as Giacomo Casanova, the 18th century womanizer? He huffed and turned on his heel stalking toward the bathroom. Leonard padded over to Penny, who was sleeping on the couch. He gently shook her and her eyes fluttered open. She looked around in confusion.

"Sheldon?" She asked while she was still half asleep.

"Sheldon's in the bathroom, how are you feeling?" Leonard asked. Penny rubbed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair.

"I'm fine Leonard, I'm still feeling sick though and my neck is kind of cramped." Leonard gave her a quick smile

"I'm not surprised that your neck hurts, Sheldon's hip doesn't really compare to a microfiber pillow" She squinted her eyes at him and opened her mouth to speak and Leonard didn't know what to say. He quickly smiled.

"Never mind. I'm sure that sore muscles are just a symptom of the bug you've caught." He quickly said. Penny got up from the couch, stretched and re-wrapped her comforter around her.

"Do you think you can take care of him for the rest of the night?" She asked while suppressing a yawn. Leonard nodded.

"I'll be fine, you go get better." He said.

She smiled and left the apartment. Leonard returned to his laptop and Sheldon re-appeared in the living room with his laundry basket. Leonard looked at him and furrowed his brow.

"What are you doing, Sheldon?" Leonard sighed.

"Leonard, it's 8:30 pm and I'm doing my laundry. I'm already behind schedule. What do you think I am an invalid who can't adhere to a schedule? What else do you think I would be doing?" Sheldon asked flatly.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe resting, trying to get better?" Leonard replied in defeat.

"I'm not a hippie, Leonard." With that Sheldon left for the laundry room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Another quick chapter. They get will be longer after this one, I promise!  
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**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 7**

Penny spent the next week in bed nursing her cold. Luckily she had banked sick time at the Cheesecake Factory. By the time the following Saturday rolled around, she could breathe out of her nose and she was finally well-rested.

The light of the fridge illuminated her face as she looked for something to eat for dinner. All she had over the past week was tomato soup and she was sick of eating sick food. She didn't really have much in the fridge, so she decided to eat a pack of ramen noodles.

The water started to boil and she dropped in the noodles. As she waited the five minutes for her dinner to finish cooking, she started to think about school. It started in just over a week and she hadn't gotten everything she needed yet.

Just as she put her noodles into a bowl, she heard Sheldon's knocks. After his last round, she opened the door to her fresh faced neighbor. He was wearing his black Batman shirt over a long sleeve dark grey one.

Her mind flashed to what was hidden away under those shirts. She recalled his flat stomach, his creamy skin and innocent freckles. Penny swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat and ignored the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"Hi Penny, how are you feeling? You didn't come over on Wednesday for Halo night, and I got stuck with Walowitz. We were defeated, Penny. It was awful." Sheldon pouted.

"Oh, I'm feeling much better, Sweetie. I just needed to get over that nasty cold. What's up?" She asked.

"Penny, as you are aware, Leonard has resumed his relationship with Priya. I require you to drive me to the market as I have run out of laundry soap and tonight, as you know, is laundry night and Leonard is not here to drive me." Sheldon said expectantly.

Penny sighed and knew she wouldn't say no. She had never really been able to say no to Sheldon. She moved aside and let him into the apartment. Sheldon glanced around and shook his head in disbelief. How could one woman create such a disastrous mess?

"I'm not nearly ready so if you don't mind waiting a half hour, I would be more than happy to drive you." She said as she picked up her bowl of ramen and began to eat. Sheldon sat down on her tiny couch and waved his hand dismissively at her as he turned on the television.

She finished off her bowl of noodles and put her bowl in the sink. The channel has been changed from Cosmo TV to the Space channel. Sheldon was watching Star Trek: The Next Generation while he waited for her to get ready. He heard her bedroom door click shut and he looked about the room.

He had already watched this episode numerous times, 24.6 times to be exact. He stood up from her couch and began to clean up her small Swedish coffee table. He wondered if he could train her to be more organized through positive reinforcement. He recalled when he had previously trained her with chocolates.

She was wearing a blue tank top and her hair was up in cute little pigtails. He asked her if she would like a chocolate after she had picked up their dinner plates to take to the kitchen and since her hands were full, Sheldon fed it to her.

When she took the chocolate with her teeth, she let out a breath that tickled Sheldon's hand. Her tongue slightly grazed the tip of his thumb. It was warm, wet and soft. It wasn't slimy like he had anticipated another person's mouth being.

After that occurrence, he wanted to train her to get out of other bad habits, but Leonard wouldn't let him. Sheldon moved about Penny's apartment cleaning and putting things back into their rightful places. He could remember every spot that he had designated for Penny's things. He even labeled things for her so she knew where they would go, but she didn't bother to follow his organizational instructions.

She had clothes strewn across her apartment. A t-shirt was on top of the fridge, a brazier was hanging from a lamp and a pair of purple, lacy panties laying on a barstool. He put her clothes into a pile and held up her panties. They were so tiny, how could she even fit into them?

He heard her bedroom door open and he quickly stuffed the panties into his pants pocket. He left his hand in there with the balled up fabric. She glanced at him. He looked slightly flushed and avoided her eyes. Her apartment had been straightened up while she was in the shower.

"Sheldon! What the hell? Why did you clean my apartment?" She angrily asked.

"Sorry, Penny. I started tidying up the coffee table and it kind of got out of hand." Sheldon weakly replied.

She smirked. Only her Whack-a-Doodle would nervously clean an entire apartment. She couldn't help but feel the butterflies return. She had hoped that he had done it for her, but she knew deep down that it was only a nervous tic.

Her purse was beside the bowl that her keys now resided in. She moved toward the door and Sheldon followed. Quickly, she turned around with her hand on the door knob. She looked into his eyes and he seemed to have calmed down.

His eyes weren't as frantic as they were just seconds ago when she had gotten upset; they were now steadily gazing into hers. She took a deep breath. They were so close that she could smell him. He smelled like laundry detergent and grapefruit. She licked her now dry lips.

"Penny, aren't we leaving for the market?" Sheldon said quietly. His eyes quickly searched her face for an answer and he felt his stomach flip flop. Her features were soft and her chest heaved with every deep breath she took.

"Thank you Sheldon. You really didn't have to clean my apartment." She said. She wanted so badly just to throw herself at him and she felt confused. How did this happen? Since when was she in love with her crazy neighbor? He was Sheldon for Christ's sake! He was insane and had all kinds of stipulations.

She had to figure out what was going on in her brain before she let anything happen with him. She needed to know if he felt the same spark she did. With her hand still on the door knob, she walked out of the apartment with Sheldon in tow.


	8. Chapter 8

**You guys are so nice with your reviews and alerts! The more you review, the quicker I will post chapters. ;)  
**

**Seriously though, I see all of those alerts and no reviews... :P  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 8**

Sheldon entered his quiet apartment with his laundry detergent in hand. He walked to his room in large, quick strides. He set the detergent in his basket along with his first load of colors. Laundry night was to commence in a half hour and he wasn't sure that he could handle seeing her again.

He was pretty sure that she was going to kiss him in her apartment. He had never kissed a woman besides his mother and grandmother. There was also that instance with Beverly Hofstadter. Penny was standing so close to him. All he had to do to make it happen was close the space between them by leaning in and touching his lips to hers.

He sat on his bed and tried to decipher the interaction that had transpired between them. Being terrible at reading into social situations, he convinced himself that Penny was just being nice and she couldn't possibly want anything to do with him in that regard. In all his life, no woman had been interested in him in a sexual nature.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out her panties. He shook his head in disappointment as he rubbed the purple fabric between his fingers. Wasn't he better than this? He was sitting in his room fretting over a girl with her panties in his hand. Sheldon Copper did not fret, especially not over girls and emotions. He also did not steal panties from his neighbor.

He was, after all, a Homo Novus, a superior human being. He could control his baser urges and the only love he needed in his life was the comforting love of Lady Science. He recalled when he told Leonard that Quantum Physics was like looking at the universe naked and smiled. His mind wandered and he began to think about what Penny would look like naked.

Actually, he already knew. When he assisted her to the hospital, he certainly got an eyeful. The hero _always _peeks and she looked magnificent. When he accidentally touched her breast, her skin was soft and smooth. She also had a cute little freckle sitting just atop her hip bone. He could only imagine what she would look like in the panties he was clutching in his hand.

Sheldon could feel his frustration building in his pants. He tried to stifle it by thinking about other things, but his thoughts always came back to Penny. He undid his pants and shimmied them down to his thighs. His erection slapped against his abdomen as he laid down on his bed.

He clutched Penny's panties in his left hand and grasped his member with the right. He sighed at the familiar touch. Thinking about Penny in the purple panties he was clutching and relieving his tension caused him to let out a soft moan. He began to get lost in the waves of sensations that were building inside of him.

Suddenly he heard the front door close and Leonard was in the living room with Priya. He mumbled something to her and she giggled at whatever he said. The sound of her voice killed the mood instantaneously. Sheldon stood up, gripped his pants and pulled them back up. He buried Penny's under garments into his colored load and took a few deep breaths.

With his laundry basket tucked under his arm he proceeded into the living room. He was met with the gazes of Leonard and Priya. He did not like that woman at all, but if it meant that Leonard would no longer be pursuing Penny, he would tolerate her presence. He might even be pleasant toward her. He smirked at his own bazinga.

"Hey Sheldon, laundry night I see." Leonard said nodding toward the basket.

"Leonard, your observational skills never cease to amaze me. What tipped you off? Was it that it's Saturday night and it is now 8:13 pm, or was it the laundry basket filled with laundry that I am currently holding?" Sheldon sarcastically said to his roommate. He was now sexually frustrated and he was being forced to be in the same room with Leonard's insufferable girlfriend.

Sheldon didn't wait for him to respond and he headed out the door and into the laundry room. He set his laundry basket on the washer next to the one he was going to use. Penny's panties were still in his basket and they went into the wash as well. The back of his neck burned and he felt someone watching him.

He closed the lid to the washer and turned it on. He turned around and there she was. She was wearing a pair of sweats that hugged her hips and a tank top that displayed her ample cleavage. Her golden curls flowed down her back and she looked radiant.

"Where is your laundry, Penny?" Sheldon asked.

"Sheldon, do you think we can talk for a second?" Penny dismissively replied.

Sheldon's heart rate started to elevate and his palms became clammy. She took a couple of steps toward him and sat on the table. He stood in front of her and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Sheldon, I feel like things have been tense between us and I apologize if you feel the same. I'm just going through a lot of change right now and I don't know if I'm handling it well." She said as his blue eyes looked into hers.

"I just, well, I'm not sure how to tell you this. Sheldon, I've been having these feelings about you lately and I don't know what to do." She continued with her eyes glued to his. Sheldon shifted his weight onto one foot and looked away. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable. He too had feelings and didn't know what to do about them.

"Penny, I'm not really the ideal person to be interpreting your feelings." He confessed. Staring at the floor, he dropped his hands to the side and Penny scooped them up into her own grasp. His hands began to sweat as she pulled him closer to her. Her tug was gentle and Sheldon felt reassured.

Sheldon was now standing in between her legs. She placed his rigid hands on her thighs. He felt nervous but excited, not knowing what was going to happen next. He had a hunch, but he couldn't be sure with Penny's unpredictable nature. He swallowed hard and forced himself to look at her.

He felt her hands on his forearms and he stared into her eyes. If he didn't look at something to ground himself he was going to pass out. His heart hammered in his chest and he was seeing stars. Her hands slid to the back of his neck and he was being pulled down. Penny placed her lips on Sheldon's in a soft kiss.

When her lips touched his, it was like a spark from a fireplace jumped onto the nearby drapes. Her lips were so soft and she was wearing cherry flavored Chap Stick. The scent of Penny invaded his senses, and the soothing vanilla helped him calm his nerves. He began to move his mouth with hers in soft slow kisses and he started to feel light headed. His hands found their way to her hips and he grasped at her tank top to keep from toppling over. He pulled away from her and smiled at her shyly.

"I- just -Wow." Sheldon stated letting out his Texan drawl. It was all he could muster. Sheldon was at loss for words. He was slightly embarrassed that he couldn't come up with something better to say, so he smiled at her. Penny bit her bottom lip and smiled back.

If this is what kissing was supposed to be like, Sheldon never wanted to stop. He could kiss Penny forever. Even though he felt light headed and his stomach was in knots, he couldn't deny the extreme pleasure when their lips touched. His lips felt like they were a blaze. There was a spark that ignited between them and he wasn't quite sure he wanted to find a fire extinguisher to put out the burning flame.

Penny gently pushed him away and hopped down from the table. His hands were still on her hips and he gazed into her face. He felt all warm and fuzzy and his mind was foggy. There was only Penny. There had only been Penny. He gave her a quick grin and she planted a quick chaste kiss on his nose.

"Thanks for the talk, Moonpie." She teased in a flirty tone. Sheldon was so lost in his own world that he didn't even notice her using his MeeMaw's term of endearment for him. Penny began to walk out of the laundry room.

"See you, Penny." Sheldon called after her with a grin plastered on his face. He gave a quick wave and she was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was 1:55 pm and Penny chose a seat near the aisle on the left side of the lecture hall, and took her text and note book out of her fake Louis Vuitton tote bag and placed them on the tiny table. She decided to ease into the semester and took two management courses, a social science and a fine arts and humanities course. The management courses were Intro to Marketing and e-Commerce, the social science course was Intro to Sociology and the fine arts and humanities course was Music Appreciation. Today was her first day of classes and it began with Sociology.

Students began to file into the room and soon the instruction was underway. She had printed out the power points and jotted down notes when the instructor mentioned things that weren't on the slides. Between listening and writing she was also day-dreaming. That kiss that she shared with Sheldon in the laundry room was all she could think about.

When she pulled him close to her she thought he was going to pass out. He was so innocent and that drove her crazy. She loved feeling the nervousness that he was feeling; she was amazed at how quickly he picked up on everything. His lips were so soft and a little rigid at first touch, but he was soon engaged in a soft open mouth kiss with her.

She couldn't believe that she kissed Sheldon. What did the kiss even mean? He had never been in a relationship and she was sure that he wouldn't know how to be in one. Part of her wanted to try. She wanted to show him how much better life could be if he would just let her.

She brushed her hair behind her ear and noticed that the guy beside her was staring at her. Seriously? Who does that, isn't he here to learn? Granted, she was thinking about Sheldon, but that kiss was hot and it was all she could think about lately.

"This class is pretty boring, huh?" Said the guy with the over-gelled hair.

"Sorry, I'm trying to listen." She coldly replied.

The guy that was sitting beside her had black hair that was gelled into a crazy Jersey Shore hairdo. He had a slight beard and he was wearing a grey blazer and a black v-neck t-shirt. Penny thought to herself _'Not in a Million years buddy'_.

"How about we get out of here and go do something." He waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. Penny cringed.

"Seriously, I'm trying-" Penny started but was cut off by her instructor.

"Is there a problem Miss…?" He drew out the Miss, expecting her to give him her name.

"Penny. It's Penny, and there isn't a problem sir." She said apologetically gaining annoyed looks from her classmates.

She turned to the guy beside her and glared. He wasn't going to make a fool out of her.

"Look here buddy. I don't want what you're selling. Got it?" She said in a hushed tone through gritted teeth.

The guy looked at her and closed up his books. He pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket, pursed his lips together and made kissy lips at her.

"Whatever, Penny. See you around." The guy said.

She made a disgusted face at him as he got up and left the classroom. Suddenly, she had a bad taste in her mouth and wanted nothing more but to go home and curl up on the sofa. What a creep. The lecture continued and she looked at the clock. Only a half hour had passed and she had about two and a half to go in this class.

She sighed and thought about Sheldon again. He would have told that guy he was being a creep. She smiled and got back into the lecture. He was talking about different sociological perspectives and the components of each one in detail.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Penny trudged up the stairwell with her tote bag slung on her shoulder. She was kind of tired since she had one class per day and each class was just short of three hours. Her brain was sore from taking in all the information. She dropped off her bag at her place and walked over to 4A. It was Thai food night and she just wanted to scarf down her vegetarian Pad Thai.

She knocked on the door and all the guys were sitting in the living room. Her spot in between Sheldon and Howard was empty. She smiled as she picked up her food and settled into her spot.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" She started, probably interrupting their previous conversation.

"Good Penny, how about yourself?" Leonard replied. He pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Oh I'm great! I just got back from my first day of _class_!" She said with a huge grin. All the guys, except for Sheldon, were slightly taken aback. Sheldon looked over at her and beamed. She couldn't place his expression, but she was pretty sure he was proud of her.

"You mean like school?" Howard said slightly confused. She looked over at him and smirked.

"Yes, like school." She replied happily. Raj whispered something into Howard's ear. He gave a quick chuckle.

"I guess that does make Penny a school girl." He said suggestively. She glared at him. He was almost as creepy as the guy in class, but now he had Bernadette to keep him in line, so it was slightly less creepy.

"Whatever, Howard. I had my first class today. Intro to Sociology, it was awesome." She said before she her expression turned into a scowl.

"Well, it was awesome until some guy was hitting on me. He was so gross, some Jersey Shore scumbag." She stopped and looked at Leonard. "No offence." He smiled and nodded his head.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Leonard asked. She smiled because the reason was stupid.

"I was afraid I wouldn't get in and I just wanted to wait until it was actually real." She said.

They nodded and settled into their evening. They all watched War Games and chatted about various scenarios that were more likely than the movie they were watching. Among the most popular choices were zombie apocalypse and robots taking over.

After the movie, Howard and Raj left and Leonard went over to Priya's place, leaving Sheldon and Penny behind. She was still on the middle cushion with Sheldon by her side in his spot. She looked over at him and smiled. She didn't want to jump him, but that kiss was lingering in the back of her mind.

"So, zombie apocalypse, huh?" Penny said mockingly. She wanted to talk to him about the kiss they shared, but didn't know how to bring it up.

"Penny, I assure you that the scenario is quite likely, and do I need to remind you of toxoplasmosis and its harmful side effects?" He said in a slightly condescending tone.

"No, Sheldon. There is something that I would like to remind you of though." She said suggestively. He looked at her in confusion. What could she possibly remind him that he didn't already know?

She leaned into him and kissed him softly. His hand gravitated toward her hair and he found himself twisting his long fingers into her blond locks. She moaned into his mouth as he softly massaged her scalp with the tips of his fingers. Instinctively, his tongue darted out and touched her bottom lip.

Penny felt the same electric shock she felt as when they first kissed. She climbed into his lap and straddled him. She nibbled on his bottom lip and it was his turn to verbally respond. He let out a low moan which came out as an unnecessary appeal to a deity.

She ground her hips into his growing arousal. Hearing Sheldon making crazy sex noises was driving her wild. She broke away from the heated kiss and looked into his face. The color of his eyes had almost completely been replaced with huge black orbs. His face was flushed and his cheeks were hot. His lips were rosy and they were kiss swollen.

She placed her lips on his neck and kissed up to his ear. Taking his earlobe in her mouth she sucked on it. She was rewarded with him grasping her backside and pushing her into his erection. He was saying her name.

"Penny… Penny, please." He gasped. She pulled away and looked into his face. He had a look of worry prominently displayed across it. She swallowed and tried to resume their little make out session.

"Penny, please stop. We're moving too fast." He pleaded sounding panicked.

Penny felt a little bit disappointed and rejected as she climbed out of his lap. She felt guilty; she didn't mean to be so aggressive. He just learned so quickly and she wanted to teach him everything she knew.

"Penny, it's not that I don't like kissing you. In fact, I really _enjoy_ kissing you. I just think that we need to slow it down a little. I've just never felt anything like this in my life and I need time to process everything. Please understand." He said. He looked away and crossed his arms.

Penny looked at him and smiled. Here she was a big 'ol five, and she felt fine with the idea of taking it slow. She had come to the conclusion that he would be worth the wait.

"Does this mean that we can keep kissing?' She coyly asked. She knew her charms wouldn't work on him, but she had to try.

"Not tonight." He simply stated. He stood up and walked into the kitchen.

"I'm going to turn in, I had a lovely evening, Penny." He said with a smile. She stood up to her feet, fixed her twisted shirt and walked over to him. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and made her way to the front door.

"I'll see you later. Sleep well." She said sweetly as she left his apartment and back into hers.


	10. Chapter 10

**You guys are lucky I like you. You are going to get chapter 10 AND 11!**

**Reviews are appreciated.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 10**

Sheldon leaned his weight on his desk in front of his white board staring at an equation. What was he missing? Why didn't this equation work? Why did he stop Penny the other night on the couch? What did this mean for their friendship paradigm? Why was he now thinking about Penny, instead of work?

He capped his red dry erase marker and crossed his arms across his chest. He moved his arm and cupped his chin all the while intently staring at his work. He was going to burn a hole in the board if he didn't blink soon. His thoughts were interrupted by Raj.

"Dude! Are you even listening to me? That neutrino should be a tau neutrino, not an electron neutrino. Where is your head today?"Raj cried. Sheldon had been in his own world all morning and Raj had been talking to him for the past ten minutes, trying to solve the equation with Sheldon.

"Hmmm.. Yes, I suppose that works slightly better." Sheldon agreed as he moved to change the type of neutrino. He looked back at Raj and he looked slightly aggravated. Raj paced in a small circle.

"Stop that, you're making me feel uneasy." Sheldon demanded. Raj stopped in place and turned to his friend. He dropped his crossed arms to his sides and sighed in exasperation.

"Look, you've been spaced out all morning. What is up with you, dude? Did you eat from the wrong end of the fiber scale this morning?" He questioned. Sheldon's face ticked and he crossed his arms again.

"What? No-" He started quickly and was cut off. Raj raised his eyebrows and continued his line of questioning.

"Did someone say something bad about trains?" He said with a serious face. Sheldon threw his arms down to his sides.

"No!" Sheldon replied defensively and frowned. He knew what was wrong with him. He was distracted by a certain blond neighbor of his. Sheldon's face softened and he sat down in his desk chair.

Raj moved to the door and closed it. He pulled his chair over to sit near Sheldon. He could tell that something was wrong. Maybe Leonard opened up one of his collectables. He looked at his friend who was fidgeting in his seat.

"I don't know if you are the best person to be talking to about this, and I would like it to stay between us." Sheldon started seriously and looked at his hands which were folded in his lap. All Raj could do was nod his head in agreement. Sheldon continued.

"Penny and I kissed." He stated, talking into his twisting hands. He looked up at his friend slightly embarrassed. Raj's eyes were wide and his mouth gaped open. Sheldon's eyes narrowed and he wanted to tell him to close his mouth. But he just stared at him waiting for a response.

"Dude! That's… How? What happened?" He stammered.

"I'm not going to go into details about what lead up to the events, as that would be extremely rude. We kissed on two separate occasions and it's all I can think about." Sheldon confessed. It felt good to reveal this secret to someone. He felt relieved that he had someone to confide in. He finally understood the covenant of secret keeping. Well, at least on the secret revealer's part.

There was a quiet knock on the door just before it swung open. Howard and Leonard walked in. Sheldon glanced at his wrist watch and established that they were here to grab them for lunch. Sheldon quickly stood up and moved toward them.

"Rajesh and I are working through lunch and leaving early. He will drive me home at the end of the day. Thank you for coming to pick us up, but we are very busy." Sheldon quickly said as he ushered them out of their shared office.

Howard and Leonard were back in the hallway before they knew it with the door being closed in their faces. Sheldon returned to his desk chair and looked at Raj. He had a look of disappointment, but that expression faded as soon as he realized that he got to talk about Sheldon's personal life. _"Totally worth it!' _Raj thought to himself.

"Okay, so you and Penny kissed-" Raj started.

"Twice." Sheldon interrupted. Raj rolled his eyes quickly.

"Twice. So how do you feel about it? I mean either you liked it or you wanted to drink a bottle of disinfectant." Raj finished. Sheldon took a moment to recall both times they kissed and he was very sure that he didn't want to drink disinfectant. At first he was concerned about the pathogens that he could become infected with, but soon that thought was replaced with all of the new and wonderful sensations. He hadn't even thought about the contamination until just now.

"Well, I suppose I didn't not like it. I just always thought I was better than giving into those urges. Perhaps I am worried that I will become so consumed with them that I will lose focus and then what? It would have been all for nothing. I wouldn't have the Nobel and I don't know if it's worth it." Sheldon said slightly worried at the thought of losing the Nobel Prize. He had spent the better part of a decade working toward that goal.

"Trust me dude, it's worth it." Raj countered. His face was soft and reassuring. Raj had always sensed the chemistry between Sheldon and Penny. The romantic side of him always wanted them to get together. He smiled and moved his chair back to his desk. Sheldon was quiet, taking Raj's advice, if you could call it that, into consideration.

"So can we go for lunch now?" Raj asked. Sheldon looked at him, stood up and walked over to his white board.

"No, we're working through lunch and you're driving me home afterward." He reminded him.

Raj slumped into his chair, spun it around in a full circle, and joined Sheldon at the white board.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was late afternoon when Penny got back home from her second class. It was Wednesday which meant it was new comic books and Halo. She worked on some reading for the next class and tidying her apartment. She didn't have to work until Saturday, as she had cut down her hours at work to Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings.

The water in her sink was warm and full of apple scented bubbles. Sheldon would be proud. She had kept her apartment relatively clean since he had picked up after her. She finished doing the dishes and dried her hands.

Her hamper was full of laundry because instead of doing it on Saturday, she was kissing Sheldon. After years of being so imbedded into his routine, it was hard to get away from him. She didn't really want that though, she just wanted to be with him. Filling up her basket with some clothes, she walked down to the laundry room and filled up a washer with her clothes and detergent.

Perhaps Sheldon could teach her how to properly do this mundane chore. It was always so much better with him than doing it alone. She smiled to herself as she hopped on top of the washer. _'Admit it to yourself at least.' _She thought. The way he made her feel, the way she couldn't get him out of her head, and the way he kissed her made her feel amazing.

"I'm smitten." She quietly confessed to herself. She ran her hand through her hair and her grin got bigger. Her abdomen filled with butterflies and she gently pulled her hair over her face.

"I'm smitten, Sheldon Cooper!" She said a little louder and giggled at her confession.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out of her pocket. _'Speak of the Devil' _she thought as she opened the text from Dr. Cooper. She smirked quickly at the thought of calling him Dr. in bed.

_"Hello, Penny. I was hoping that we could quickly speak before Leonard, Raj, Howard and I venture to the comic book store. – Sheldon Cooper, B.S. M.S. M.A. Ph.D. Sc.D."_

_'What a weirdo! Who signs off their texts like that?'_ She thought as she chuckled to herself. Her brain quickly realized that he was telling her that "They need to talk". Her stomach felt like it was trying to digest a brick and her heart started pounding in her throat. She could picture it, him telling her that she crossed the line and that she was banished from the apartment forever and there were no classes that she could take to rectify the situation.

She took a few short and quick breaths. _'Don't hyperventilate! Just take in a couple deep breaths.' _She thought as she steadied her breathing. She held her phone at chest level and began to text back. Her hands were shaking, so she pressed her wrists to her breasts to steady them.

_"Hey! Yea. We can talk. C U after wrk."_

Her thumb hovered over the send button. She just had to man up and do it. So what if he was going to reject her. At least she wasn't so far into this that she would be incapacitated for a week. She quickly pressed the send button and clutched her phone to her chest. She closed her eyes and let out a steady breath. Her phone quickly buzzed in her hands and she looked at the screen.

_"Good! I will be home within the next half hour to forty-five minutes, depending on traffic conditions. You're lucky I haven't left work yet. I am going to bring you a dictionary, as you have effectively butchered the English language. See you soon. – Sheldon Cooper, B.S. M.S. M.A. Ph.D. Sc.D."_

Thirty minutes? Penny quickly hopped off the washer and ran up to her apartment. Maybe if she fixed herself up a bit he would change his mind. Why was she so certain that this was going to end badly? She changed into a top that revealed a bit more of the girls and showed off a little sliver of mid-riff.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Sheldon got out of Raj's car, headed into the lobby and up the stairs. Sheldon couldn't decide what he wanted. He knew that he didn't want to hurt Penny, but he also didn't want to run the risk of putting everything he had on the line and getting hurt.

His mind changed on every landing that he stepped foot on. Would he take a chance to be happy and give himself to an unpredictable person, or would he adhere to everything he has ever known and sacrifice the joy he felt when she was with him? He slowly approached her door and his stomach was still twisted in undecided knots.

He leaned his body against the right side of the door frame, let out a breath and lifted his hand to knock. He could see the shadow of her feet under the door.

_Knock knock knock _"Penny"

_Knock knock knock _"Penny"

_Knock knock knock _"Penny"

She opened the door immediately. She was wearing a red racer back tank top that displayed her exquisite breasts. Her jeans hugged her curves and clung to her thighs. She looked relaxed, but her eyes were frantic. He stared into her face for a moment before standing up straight.

"Hi Penny. This is for you." He said quietly as he reached into his messenger bag. He handed her a small blue pocket dictionary. She gave him a small smirk. She hadn't thought he was actually going to bring her a freaking dictionary!

"Hi Sheldon. Come in?" She ended the invitation inside as a question.

Sheldon moved into her apartment and closed the door behind them. He took off his bag and placed it beside the sofa. She walked into the kitchen, placed the book on the island and grabbed a diet coke for herself.

"Do you want something to drink?" She asked politely. She knew that he appreciated good manners and she wanted to swing this meeting in her favor any way she could.

"No thanks, Penny. I'm fine." He said quickly as he sat down on the couch. She grabbed her soda and sat down beside him. Her scent was thick, like she had just put on hand cream.

"Penny, I just want to talk about the kissing that occurred between us recently." He explained as he placed his hands in his lap. He continued.

"As, you know, I am not an expert in these matters and I am not experienced in articulating these types of feelings. Though I enjoy the time we spend together and I experience rather pleasant feelings when we kiss, I don't want to lose sight of what I've set out to achieve." He stated. Still unsure where he was going with this conversation he began to nervously fidget and he felt his eye twitch. Penny looked into his eyes and grabbed a hold of his restless hands.

"Sheldon, I like you. I have always liked you. There is undeniable chemistry between us and I know you're afraid, but I'm afraid too. Believe me, Sweetie, the last thing I want to do is change you and get in the way of your dreams. I just want to be there for you, supporting you. I can understand if you don't want to go any further with whatever we have going on here." She said defeated. If she was going to go out in flames, she was going to put it all out there so he knew where she stood. No games.

Sheldon and Penny sat in silence for a few minutes. His hands were still grasped in hers and they just looked at one another. They were both terrified about entering a relationship together.

He had so much to lose, but also so much to gain. He could truly share his achievements with someone and he could see him having a life with her. She didn't want to get hurt again, but she was sure that Sheldon was different. She trusted him with everything she had. He had never done anything out of malice and he would never intentionally hurt anyone.

Sheldon sighed and concentrated on his hands in hers. He shifted a bit and laced their fingers together. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly her small hands fit into his. He always thought that holding her hand might feel like holding a child's but it felt far from it, it felt right.

"Penny" He started, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"I want to do this with you and I want to be with you, but-" He was cut off by Penny.

"But, you can't." She said just above a whisper as tears prickled behind her eyelids. Her eyes quickly moved from his, down into her lap and she took her hands away from his grasp. She wiped away a tear that had escaped her and fallen onto her flushed cheek. To stop herself from sobbing in front of him, she quickly sucked in a breath and held it.

She felt his hand under her chin. He gently lifted her face to look up into his. He looked seriously at her, like when he asked her if Davey Crocket quit at the Alamo. With his other hand he brushed the hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear. He let go of her chin and collected her hands back into his.

"Penny, I was going to say that I want this, but I want to go slowly. I want to go at a pace that I'm comfortable with." He said sincerely. Her sadness was replaced by a small smile and she pulled Sheldon into a hug. She rubbed her hands along his shoulder blades and she let out a deep sigh. His hands settled onto her waist. He smelled so good and she buried her face in his neck. She pulled back a little bit so that their cheeks were touching but not enough that she wasn't still hugging him.

"I will respect your wishes, Sheldon. I want you to feel like you can be yourself with me and I want to make you feel safe. If you feel like it's too much or if you feel like it's too fast, you tell me and we'll go back to where you're comfortable." She said and pulled away from him.

He looked into her sincere face and smiled. Not one of his crazy joker smiles, but a genuine smile. It was incredibly adorable so she cupped his chin in her hand and pulled him into a kiss. He moved his hand to the small of her back and it almost spanned entirely across her. She draped her arms over his shoulders and cocked her head to the right so their lips were locked.

He still couldn't fathom how flawlessly she fit into him. They were like two puzzle pieces that interlocked perfectly. He gently pulled her onto his lap and resumed kissing her. Even their lips fit seamlessly together; her bottom lip nuzzled in between his top and bottom lip. His hands were softly rubbing up and down her sides and he accidentally grazed her breasts with the heel of his palms.

Penny took his hands into hers and placed them onto her breasts. He was hesitant at first. His hands just sat atop her breasts. She broke their kiss and looked into his sapphire eyes. She kissed him quickly and looked back into his eyes.

"It's ok, Shel." She said reassuringly. She resumed their kiss and his hands moved down her stomach. They settled on the hem of her shirt and his thumb rubbed along her exposed mid-riff. His arousal was growing in his pants and he could feel Penny's heat radiating onto him.

He moved a hand underneath her shirt. His touch was agonizingly slow and left a trail of slow burning embers along her abdomen as he searched for her breast. The tip of his finger touched the swell of her chest and he quickly realized that she wasn't wearing a bra.

He pulled away and looked down at her chest as his hand engulfed her. She let her head fall backward, arched her back toward him and let out a small moan. Her nipple hardened under his palm and he trailed his fingers back down her chest to feel her stiff nub. His fingertip brushed against it and he felt a horizontal barbell going through her nipple.

Shocked, he quickly took his hand out of her shirt and looked at her with concern. She still had her head thrown back in ecstasy and she slowly brought her face to his when she realized he had stopped.

"What?" She shyly asked.

"Penny, I don't want to sound crass, but do you have your nipples pierced?" His eyes grew wide and his tongue darted out to moisten his suddenly dry lips. A smile started to spread across her lips and her face lit up.

"Actually, it's just the one." She said as she bit her lip playfully.

"Why?" Sheldon asked. It was the only thing he could say. At first he was unsure about it. His mother told him about women that had those kinds of piercings, but Penny was nothing of the sort. His unease quickly turned into curiosity.

"Well, I got it done after Leonard and I broke up. Some girls cut all of their hair off, I just get inappropriate piercings." She said as her face flushed red with embarrassment.

"Do you not like it?" She asked. Sheldon considered this for a moment and decided he was unsure.

"I'm not sure." He stated, as he searched her face.

She smiled and gave him another chaste kiss on the lips. As she was pulling away, there was a quick knock on the door. She got up off of Sheldon and walked toward the door. Sheldon stood up, grabbed his messenger bag and moved behind her. She opened the door to Leonard, Howard and Raj standing there. Leonard looked at them and his brow furrowed.

"Sheldon, why are you over here, we're leaving for the comic book store." Leonard said accusingly.

"My keys are at work and I was locked out." Sheldon said defensively as he slung the bag across his body. It was true. He had intentionally left them behind for this exact purpose, that way he didn't have to lie to Leonard. Sheldon wasn't ready for his roommate to know that he was engaging in amorous activities with his ex-girlfriend. He walked out of her apartment and gave her a quick wave.

"Bye, Penny. See you for Halo." He said quickly.

"Bye, Sweetie, have fun." She replied with a smile and closed her door.


	12. Chapter 12

**I just want to quickly thank all of the people reading this story. I just checked the stats and I'm astounded! **

**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 12**

As they rifled through the new comic books the guys were arguing over which superhero would win in a feat of strength. Sheldon was getting irritated that his friends kept arguing, when he clearly had the winning argument.

Really though, the clear winner would be Professor Xavier from Marvel's X-Men. He would beat any superhero without having to lift a finger. So what if it was a "feat of strength"; the mind of a very strong and powerful tool.

He decided to leave the argument, having been the one who was right and decided to peruse the graphic novels section. The newest edition of Akira was supposed to be in today and Sheldon hated having an incomplete collection.

Raj made his way over to Sheldon who was out of ear shot of their other two friends. He gave him a small jab in the back which made Sheldon jump. He spun around and narrowed his eyes. Raj weakly smiled.

"Sorry, dude. I was just curious about what happened with Penny. Are you guys together now, or what?" Raj curiously asked. Sheldon felt uncomfortable discussing this out in the open with his friends in such close proximity.

"Well, we talked and I suppose you could say that we're dating." He said with a small smile.

"Who's dating?" Howard asked as he meandered his way over to them. Sheldon shot Raj a cold glare. He knew he shouldn't have said anything, now he was going to have to spill the beans, so to speak. Raj quickly interjected.

"Sheldon was just telling me about the guy Penny is seeing." Raj said, pleased with how ambiguous he made the statement sound. Now Sheldon would only have to stretch the truth and speak vaguely.

"Yes, well. He's tall, good looking and smart, but that's all I know." Sheldon simply stated.

"Who is Penny dating?" Leonard asked. He was a little curious and tried to hide his jealousy. Sheldon shook his head at his roommate. He was currently in a relationship with Priya and still he was concerning himself with Penny's business. Sheldon's face twitched a bit when Leonard approached them.

"Penny is apparently dating a guy from a romance novel." Howard said as he wiggled his eyebrows at Leonard. Sheldon stood there fuming and did not want to discuss this any further. He didn't like when Howard talked about Penny. He always made her out to be some low-class whore. Sheldon knew differently. He knew that Penny was honest and caring, sure she was a sexual aggressor, but she knew what she wanted.

"Ugh, who cares?" Sheldon said dismissively. He wanted to get out of the comic book store as quickly as he could. He felt like he was suffocating.

He started toward the register, paid for his things and walked out the door. Howard and Leonard looked at Raj who was wide eyed. He looked at his watch and they should be leaving anyways to get to Halo on time.

"Oh-kay… well, I'm just gonna…" Raj stammered as he pointed toward the cash register.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The drive back to the apartment was uneventful. Sheldon stared out the car window praying to a deity that probably did not exist to end this night quickly. He wasn't listening to what they were talking about because he was so furious.

He didn't even want to play Halo with them, but the thought of deviating from his routine made him queasy. He would just have to take his frustration out on them virtually. Howard was going to get the worst of it.

"Hello… earth to Sheldon… is anyone home?" Leonard said. Sheldon looked over at him and realized that they were parked.

"Are you coming, buddy?" Leonard asked, genuinely concerned for his friend.

Sheldon huffed and followed them into the building and up the stairs. When they reached their apartment, he excused himself to grab Penny. He closed his apartment door and walked over to hers. He stood in front of her door and knocked.

She answered, still wearing that red tank top, and smiled at him. He gave her a quick smile back and then grabbed her hand. She rose up on her tiptoes to give him a quick peck, but she was suddenly being dragged across the hall.

"C'mon Penny, you're on my team." He said as he led her into his apartment. He took his seat and she sat down beside him.

"I call Penny!" Howard shouted. Sheldon glared at him and gave a condescending smirk.

"I hardly think so, Walowitz. Penny has agreed to be on my team tonight. Prepare to meet your maker." Sheldon smugly said. He glanced over at Penny and she smiled at him. She was delighted to take part in the destruction of Howard.

They played a few rounds and Sheldon started to feel better after the 17th time he killed Howard's character right after re-spawning. When Sheldon and Penny were on a team it was bad, but their kill count was through the roof. They showed no mercy to anyone who stood in their way. Together they were unstoppable.

After being pummeled by opposing forces, Howard decided to take the actions directed toward him in Halo as a hint. He left with Raj and that left Leonard, Sheldon and Penny sitting on the couch.

"So, Penny, Sheldon told us that you were dating someone." Leonard abruptly said. She looked over at him with an open mouth. What was she supposed to say? She glanced back at Sheldon who avoided her gaze all together. She smiled and briefly touched his thigh which made him jump.

"Oh yeah, I guess I am." She replied shortly, not really wanting to discuss her love life with Leonard. He pushed up his glasses and looked down his nose at her. She smiled at him. She was taught to "kill 'em with kindness".

"How's Priya, Leonard? You guys seem to be spending quite a bit of time together." She said warmly and continued. "Is it getting serious?" She asked, not really interested in the answer.

Leonard didn't like how she was acting. He furrowed his eyebrows at her and got up off of the couch. He moved to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. He opened it and took a big swig. He walked to the hallway and turned around.

"It's getting late, I'm going to turn in. Sheldon, don't stay up past your bed time, you have to work in the morning and I'm not waiting around for you." He said as he turned on his heel and stalked off to his bedroom.

Penny looked at Sheldon who was practically vibrating in his seat because he was so uncomfortable. He met her gaze when she placed her hand on his forearm. Her touch was comforting and he relaxed under her hand.

"Penny, this is exactly what I didn't want. I'm just so frustrated." He said with a soft sigh.

"Sheldon, don't let him ruin this. I don't care what he thinks. He's an ass who thinks that if he can't have me, no one can. Well, he's wrong." She said. He moved his arm and grasped her hand. She was right. Leonard was pre-occupied. He moved on and so did she. He had always been jealous of him. He was taller, smarter and he could eat all the dairy that he wanted.

Sheldon gave penny a quick kiss on the lips. He was amazed by how quickly she calmed him down. She stood up and dropped his hand.

"I'm going to go. Are you going to be okay?" She asked. He nodded and walked her out the door. He bent down and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Good night, Penny." He said with a smile. He watched her retire to her apartment before he locked the door and turned out the lights.

He didn't even realize that he was banging on Leonard's door before he came face to face with him. He meant to go to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. Leonard was fuming. He looked up at Sheldon because they were standing toe-to-toe.

After an uncomfortable stare down, Leonard moved past Sheldon and back out into the kitchen. He flicked on all the lights and stared at Sheldon as he walked around the island.

"Leonard, it was cowardly of me to not be, upfront with you, so to speak. I-" Sheldon was cut off by Leonard.

"WHY IS IT PENNY?" He yelled. "Why Sheldon? You could have had anyone else. Let's see, there was Ramona, Little Lolita, and what about Amy? Why do you have to prove you're better than me by dangling her in front of me?" He shouted with tears in his eyes. Sheldon felt his mouth go dry. He had to logically explain this to Leonard, but there was no logic when emotions were involved. He wouldn't have known that if he weren't in the predicament he found himself in.

"Leonard, I don't understand why you are so upset. Penny and I have forged a bond that has been solidified by years of friendship. She is the most logical-" Leonard cut him off again.

"Most logical? Are you even listening to yourself? You sound like a crazy person!" Leonard yelled across the kitchen at his roommate.

Sheldon's face ticked and he balled his hands into fists. He held his breath so he would calm down. He tried to count back from ten, but his brain went into over drive.

"Leonard, I think I'm falling in love with her. I don't know what to do, and the one person who I thought would be happy for me is acting like a… Like a total asshole!" He shouted back.

Sheldon never quite understood the statement "falling in love" until he said it and meant it. He could only hope that she would be there for him to break his fall. He stormed out of the apartment and strode over to Penny, leaving a gaping Leonard behind in his dust.


	13. Chapter 13

**You guys are so sweet! 12 reviews for chapter 12, let's make it 13 for 13, shall we? You may get lucky and have 14 before bed time... Well my bedtime haha :)**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 13**

She was rinsing her mouth out with mouthwash when she heard her door rattling on its hinges. No "Penny", no three knocks, just banging. Penny opened her door and Sheldon barged in. He was so out of sorts, he didn't care about social protocol or conventions. He just needed to be out of his apartment and away from Leonard. As he paced back and forth in front of her coffee table he recalled the fight. Sheldon hated fighting.

"Sweetie, come sit down. What happened?" Penny pleaded. Sheldon looked at her. His eyes were wild. She had never seen him like this before. She remembered his mother told them that he had a "temper like his Daddy." This must be the aftermath of the temper.

Sheldon stopped pacing and sat down on her couch. He slumped back into the seat instead of sitting upright like he usually did. He was so out of character, she figured that the boys blew up at each other and he was distraught over the situation.

"I'm sorry Penny." Sheldon apologized as he came to his senses. He fixed his posture, sat up straight and put his hands into his lap. She moved closer and pulled him into a hug. When she was upset, all she wanted to do was be held. She slowly rocked him and he leaned his head on her shoulder.

"There there." She said and patted his shoulder. She felt Sheldon smile against her neck. She pulled away from their embrace, grasping his shoulders. He looked into her bright emerald eyes and he felt reassured and safe.

"Do you want to stay here tonight, Sweetie?" She asked. He skeptically eyed her and pursed his lips.

"I will agree to stay only if there is no 'funny business'." He concured. She laughed and stood up to finish getting ready for bed. Sheldon burst into her apartment when she was brushing her teeth, so she washed her face. She looked under the sink for a new toothbrush for Sheldon to use. Luckily, she kept a stash for friends who stayed over, so she picked a red one because it reminded her of The Flash.

"Here, go brush your teeth and get in my bed." She said as she handed him the toothbrush in the un-opened package. He grabbed it and proceeded to the bathroom. She grabbed a blanket and pillow from the closet and plugged in her phone beside her bed.

She changed the alarm on her phone to 6:45 am. That should give him plenty of time to get up and go home to face the music. She made up her bed on the couch, turned out the lights and settled into the cushions.

Sheldon came out of the bathroom and made his way to her bed. He expected that they would be sharing a bed tonight, but when he climbed in he was alone. After settling on the mattress and getting comfortable; his mind replayed the events that had happened mere hours ago.

Hopefully Leonard would be cooled off by tomorrow and they could talk like rational adults. He thought about Penny comforting him. It was so natural for her to assume that role. She was so compassionate. It was easy for him to ease into her touch and sway with her.

He looked out into the dark living room. She was on the couch, even though he couldn't see her, he knew she was there. He sat up in bed and his eyes searched for her.

"Penny?" He called out into the darkness.

She shifted on the couch and sat up. She looked toward her room and saw his outline sitting up in her bed.

"Yeah?" She called back. She was going to have to sing him Soft Kitty even though he promised to sing it to her when they were sick. She was just waiting for the magic words.

"You can sleep with me in the bed, if you like." Sheldon said.

She smiled and got up off of the couch. Her feet barely touched the floor when she made her way to the bedroom. She walked quietly because she was scared she would scare her baby deer of a boyfriend off.

She knelt on the bed, pushed back the covers and climbed in. She settled in beside Sheldon and put her hands on her abdomen. Not wanting to push his buttons she didn't snuggle up to him, she laid on her back instead and stared up at the ceiling.

The mattress shifted and she looked over at Sheldon. He was laying on his side looking at her in the darkness. She shifted and mirrored his position. Her hand reached out and ran through his baby soft hair. He sighed at her touch, grasped her hand and kissed the heel of her palm.

"Thanks, Penny." He sleepily said. Her hand was still in his and he was rubbing his thumb on the top of her hand. She shuffled closer to him and placed her hand on his cheek. Her eyes were adjusted to the dark and she could see his features as moonlight beamed into the room through the window.

She kissed him softly and ran her fingers through his hair to the back of his neck. He responded by placing his hand on her side and pulling her into him. Propped up on one elbow, she dipped her head back down to his and kissed him a little bit more roughly.

Wanting to feel the weight of him on her she leaned back and coaxed him on top of her. His hands rubbed against her abdomen and moved to pull her closer to him. He leaned in and kissed down her neck to her clavicle. She moaned and thrust her hips into his.

The sensation ran from his hips up his spine, causing him to shiver. He looked into her eyes and placed soft small kisses on her cheeks, back down her neck to the top of her breasts. Sheldon felt her pulling his shirts up his chest toward his head. He assisted her with removing them and tossed them onto the floor.

He hovered over her and took in the sight before him. His mind was screaming at him to stop, but his body kept pressing forward. He searched her face and all he could see was desire. Desire for him. It was an odd feeling to have a woman look at him that way. It made him feel vulnerable but strong at the same time.

He tugged on her shirt and it was quickly disregarded along with his. They were both naked from the waist up. He looked at her breasts and they were just as amazing as he had remembered. His eyes looked at her nipple ring. He studied it for a second and he felt his penis lurch at the sight. Two small silver beads sat on either side of her nipple and stood out against her darkened areola. Sheldon could see how people thought it was attractive.

It made her a little bit more dangerous, but not enough to make him afraid of her handcuffing him to the bed to administer a light spanking. He tensed up at the thought of her in a leather cat suit and he wasn't sure if he wanted to continue.

"Penny, I'm-" he started. She put her hand on his chest and rubbed it in slow counter-clockwise circles.

"It's ok, Sheldon. We're just kissing. We don't have to go further than this." She reassured him.

He nodded and brought his lips back down to hers. She ran her hands up his chest and encircled his neck. He pressed his body against hers. Her soft breasts heaved underneath his chest. He sat up on his knees and undid his pants. They started to chafe and were becoming uncomfortable.

He took off his pants and quickly kicked them off the bed. His lips kissed their way down her stomach. He nibbled and teased the freckle on her hip bone. She squirmed a bit underneath him and giggled. He ghosted his lips back up her abdomen to the swell of her breasts and his mouth licked up her soft peaks. Stopping for a second to hover above the nipple without the piercing, he listened to her raspy breaths and soft sighs. He wanted more of a verbal reaction from her, so he quickly took it in his mouth. She groaned and pulled his head closer to her chest.

Her mind was swimming. She couldn't think straight and all she could focus on was the wetness pooling in between her legs. With his mouth still attached to her breast, he wandered his hand into Penny's shorts. She had pubic hair, but it was neatly trimmed. She gasped when his fingertips explored her soft folds and found her wet, aching center.

His face shot up to look into hers. He looked like he had just discovered gravity. His fingers paused just above her entrance. He swallowed hard when he plunged a finger into her. She let out a sigh and pushed her hips into his hand.

"Good Lord, you're so wet!" he exclaimed, his Texan accent thick.

She giggled and pulled his lips back toward hers. Sheldon moved his hands back around her body as he ground into her wetness. The sensations were intense and he wished that there weren't two pieces of fabric separating them.

He buried his head into her neck and they moved their bodies against each other in hurried thrusts. They were both moaning and were close to orgasm. Penny pressed her lips just below Sheldon's ear.

"Cum for me. Please Sheldon." She whispered in between moans. Her hot breath in his ear normally would have sent him running for the hills, but instead it sent him right over the edge. He thrust against her twice which was just enough for Penny to get off. She arched her back and pressed her chest against his.

"Oh god, Sheldon!" She cried as the waves of her orgasm ran through her body. Sheldon felt himself release into his briefs as he cried out.

He clung onto her for a couple seconds before collapsing back onto the bed. His mind was absolutely blank. For the first time in thirty years, he was thinking nothing. Penny got up and changed her shorts to a fresh pair. She dug in her drawer and pulled out an unopened three pack of boxer briefs. She tossed them beside Sheldon and got back into bed.

Sheldon's brain began to catch up with him. He sat up and looked at the package. He looked at his perfect girlfriend and smiled.

"What's this?" He asked.

"I like to wear men's boxers to sleep when I'm on my business." She confessed. He looked at her puzzled.

"What's your business?" He asked even more confused. She laughed and pulled the covers up to her chest.

"You know, my time of the month." She simplified.

"Huh." He said and nodded. She smiled. It was like all of the genius left his body when he came.

"You can go have a shower if you want." She offered. He nodded and got up with his new underwear in hand and headed toward the bathroom.

Penny heard the shower turn on and Sheldon get in. She snuggled into her bed and thought about what just happened. She remembered the look on his face when he discovered her wetness. She closed her eyes with the expression etched into her brain.

Sheldon re-appeared in his clean underwear and got back into bed. He looked over at Penny and she was asleep, snoring lightly. He settled into the sheets and smiled up at the ceiling. He couldn't even describe the feelings he felt. He drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Sheldon awoke and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He looked over to Penny and noted that she was still asleep. Quietly, he got out of bed and grabbed his clothes from the floor. He didn't want Leonard to catch him carrying his soiled briefs, so he tossed them in her hamper.

He walked into the living room and closed her bedroom door behind him, leaving it slightly ajar. His gaze went to the clock on the stove. It was 6:30 am. He had to get back to his place in order to be on schedule. He quickly put his clothes on and crept out of Penny's apartment.

When he arrived in the living room, everything was quiet. Leonard was still asleep and he wouldn't be getting up for another forty-five minutes to an hour. Sheldon walked through the apartment to his bedroom. He quickly pressed inside and shut the door.

Rifling through his drawers, he chose new clothes to wear for work. He chose his red robot evolution t-shirt and paired it with a black thermal, and he chose a pair of Chinos to go with them. He glanced at his watch and determined that he had to shower.

Leonard's door opened and closed and Sheldon heard him walking past his bedroom, toward the kitchen. Sheldon quickly contemplated changing out of his clothes and into his Wednesday pajamas, but decided that since he didn't wear them, they could just stay in the rotation.

He quietly left his bedroom with his fresh clothes in hand and entered the bathroom. His back was a little sore from Penny's soft mattress. He removed his clothes, tossed them in his bathtoom hamper and turned on the shower. Penny's scent still lingered on his skin. He almost didn't want to shower her off of him. As he soaped himself up, he recalled the events of last night.

How he wished that the fabric that separated them last night was removed. The thought of losing his virginity was terrifying though. He wasn't sure he liked the thought of being inside of someone else. He recalled Penny's reassuring kisses and smiled. He had always likened sex to an alien abduction; someone being inside someone else wasn't natural. It was an invasion of space. That's why he used the term coitus. It was clinical and cold.

What he shared last night with Penny wasn't clinical. It was primal. His body acted on its own accord and there was nothing he could have done to stop it. Penny didn't have coitus, Penny had sex. Instead of an invasion of personal space, he imagined he would be sharing himself completely with her. He would give himself over to her entirely.

Sheldon quickly finished his shower. He was wasting time thinking about sex. Well, sex with Penny. He toweled off and changed into his clothes.

Sheldon sighed and left the bathroom. He walked slowly to the kitchen, as he wasn't sure what kind of mood Leonard would be in. His roommate came into view. Leonard was making a pot of coffee for himself, signifying that he must have not sleep well last night.

Leonard turned around and Sheldon was standing by the island. His hands were clasped in front of him, and he was nervously wringing them together. He felt really guilty for blowing up at Sheldon last night.

"Hey." Leonard said quickly as he turned around and grabbed a coffee mug from the cupboard. Sheldon shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like confrontation, but he liked fighting less.

"Hi." Sheldon replied. His voice was a bit raspy.

"Look, last night. I'm sorry Sheldon." Leonard apologized. His coffee finished brewing and he poured himself a cup. Sheldon pulled out the padded barstool closest to the corner and sat down.

"I suppose I should have told you sooner that I was beginning to harbor amorous feelings for Penny, as society as has arbitrarily deemed it necessary that my allegiance should be to male comrades, before women who sell their bodies for money. Not that Penny is, for lack of a better term, a hoe." Sheldon replied. Leonard gave him a quick smile.

"Did you really mean what you said last night?" Leonard asked. Sheldon looked at him sardonically.

"Leonard, you're going to have to be more specific. I said a lot of things last night. Also, I mean everything I say. I don't have the capacity to tell lies and I'm certainly not one for jibber-jabber." He stated flatly. Leonard sighed.

"Did you mean what you said about falling for Penny?" He re-stated his question. Sheldon was beginning to feel a slight annoyance toward Leonard.

"Were you not listening?" He said, voicing his annoyance. He let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, Leonard. I do believe that I am quite enamored with Penny, despite her annoying habits and ability to turn her home into a barnyard faster than a bee stung stallion." Sheldon said drawling out the last part.

"Just don't hurt her. Okay?" Leonard concluded as he started to walk with his coffee back to his bedroom. Sheldon wanted to protest, he would never do anything to hurt Penny intentionally. Time was ticking and he didn't want to get into another lengthy conversation so he nodded at Leonard.

Sheldon went through the motions of his morning routine; breakfast, bowel movement and then leave for work with Leonard. He was relieved that they had settled any unresolved tension that resided between them. He was also glad to have his friend back.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The alarm on Penny's phone went off at 6:45 am. She sat up in bed and hurled herself toward the night stand. Quickly, she shut off her alarm and looked around her empty room. She felt a little disappointed that he had run off before saying good bye. On the other hand, he didn't know that she had set an alarm for him, so he probably snuck out to let her sleep more.

A smile slowly overtook her face when she recalled the events of last night. She couldn't believe that Sheldon was in her bed making her feel that way. High school was the last time she dry humped someone and it was quickly replaced by sex. Clothes were over rated and they just got in the way.

She sunk back into her pillows and thought about how insanely hot their non-sex sex was. He was a virgin, probably, but he was so skilled. Perhaps it was because he was incredibly intelligent. He had to be a fast learner or something. Her stomach filled with butterflies when she recalled them sharing each other's climaxes.

Beginning to feel hot and bothered, she got up out of bed and got into the shower. Her class started at 10 am and thought she might as well get up now instead of trying to rush out the door. After her shower, she made an egg white omelet and ate it while studying.

Her phone buzzed on the counter and it startled her. She jumped and picked it up. _'What do you have to say Dr.?' _She thought as she opened the text from Sheldon.

"_Good morning Penny, I trust you slept well. I left my undergarments in your hamper. If you could wash them in a load of whites in hot water and return them to me promptly, that would be greatly appreciated. – Sheldon Cooper, B.S. M.S. M.A. Ph.D. Sc.D."_

Penny smiled. Only for Sheldon, would she separate her laundry. She quickly texted him back.

"_I was sad U left w/o saying bye :( I can do your laundry I guess & don't sign your txts like that. :p "_

He must have been right by his phone because he texted back right away.

"_For the love of God, please use the dictionary I brought you. I send professional texts, so they deserve a professional signature. Would you prefer something more colloquial, such as Sheldon the Great?"_

Professional texts? She rolled her eyes as her fingers flew over the touch screen. She laughed because he didn't realize she had listed him in her phone as "Sheldor".

"_My apologies, Dr. Cooper. I was sad to wake up alone, but I appreciate the extra sleep. I will launder your undergarments and return them to you at my earliest convenience. Have a wonderful afternoon. – Penelope Beeckman, B.B.A (In progress)"_

She laughed at how ridiculous she sounded. Her phone buzzed again in her phone.

"_thx Pen! U R gr8!11!1! lol! Kthxbye!"_

She couldn't help but laugh hysterically at his imitation of her. She put her breakfast dishes into the sink, packed up her text book and headed out for class.


	15. Chapter 15

**You guys are wonderful! **

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 15**

Penny walked into her apartment with bags lining her arms and all she really wanted to do was get into a scalding hot shower and then crawl into a hole and die because she was so exhausted. She spent her afternoon running errands after class and she stopped at the grocery store to pick up a couple of things before she came home.

She tossed all of the bags onto the kitchen island and rubbed her aching forearms. Her hand plunged into her tote bag to retrieve her phone. One missed call from Amy. Letting out a sigh, she set her bag by the front door and called her back.

Penny really did miss her friend. She had been so busy lately, and she kind of alienated everyone, everyone except for Sheldon. She called Amy back and pressed the phone to her ear. After three rings Amy picked up the line.

"Hello Penny." She greeted. Penny felt relieved to hear her friends voice.

"Hey Ames! You called, so I'm just calling back. How are you?" She asked.

"I'm well Penny. Thank you for asking. I was calling to inquire if you would be up for girl time with Bernadette and me. You seemed to have gone AWOL on us." Amy said slightly concerned for her friend. Penny smiled into the phone. Amy continued.

"Also, I have missed your radiant smile and whimsical nature. Who wouldn't? You're a timeless beauty!" Her friend concluded.

"Yeah, I'll come. I've missed you guys too. I've just been so busy lately, sorry." She said. She could use the distraction from all of the craziness that had recently entered her life.

"Spendid! We will be meeting at Bernadette's at six! See you then, Bestie!" Amy said excitedly. They both said good bye and hung up. Penny was excited to spend some time with her girls. She realized that they hadn't seen each other for a few weeks. They probably didn't even know she was in school.

She put away her groceries and went to her bedroom to change. It was a muggy day and she felt sweaty and gross. She changed into a lavender v-neck t-shirt and a pair of cut off shorts. She had an hour to get to Bernadette's, so she decided to go visit with the boys for a little bit. Hoping they mended their relationship, she made her way across the hall.

The guys and Priya were sitting around the living room waiting for Leonard to finish getting ready to go out. Well, everyone but Sheldon. He was dressed in his normal attire and everyone else was dressed up.

"Wow! You guys look great! Where are you off to?" She exclaimed.

"Priya is taking us to a fancy martini bar in L.A.!" Raj excitedly replied. He took a swig from his half empty beer. Priya nodded and gave Penny an arrogant look.

"You pretty much have to be a lawyer to get in." She explained in a condescending tone. Sheldon cringed at the amount of smugness that radiated off of her. Penny noticed his discomfort and gave him a small smile. She hated Priya too, so she understood. Sheldon could be a condescending narcissist as well, but he had earned the right to be so. The guy was a freaking genius for Christ's sake!

"Why aren't you dressed up, Sweetie?" Penny asked Sheldon, even though she already knew the answer.

"Penny, you know my aversion to bars, pubs, and watering holes. I don't know why you would think that I would be joining them." He said disdainfully. She rolled her eyes and gave him a quick knowing nod.

"I'm going to be watching Serenity with commentary tonight. Would you care to join me?" He asked. A look of hope flashed across his face.

"Awe, Sweetie, I would love to, but I'm going over to Bernadette's tonight. Thanks though, I appreciate the invite." She said apologetically. He seemed slightly defeated. She walked over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

She opened the stainless steel door and grabbed one of Sheldon's mountain dews instead. With her head still stuffed in the fridge, she held out his bottle of green death.

"Hey, Shel?" She quickly asked. "Can I have this?" She knew the answer would be no, but she just wanted to push his buttons a little. Sheldon looked at the bottle in her hand and shrugged.

"Sure" He replied. She smiled, closed the fridge and started to walk out of the apartment.

"Hey, Penn?" He said, shortening her name like she did with his. She quickly turned to him and smiled at the fact that he had called her that.

"Bazinga! You can't have that. Put it back." He said with a smirk. She chuckled but pretended to look pouty. She put the dew back and grabbed a bottle of water instead.

Howard looked at the two. Why were they calling each other that? Since when did Sheldon call anyone anything besides their name? His eyes widened and snapped toward Sheldon.

"You're the romance novel guy!" He said in a hushed tone. Sheldon smirked at his friend.

"Ok, well, I gotta go. You guys have a lovely evening." She said to everyone but Priya as she left to go to Bernadette's.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Penny was quickly pulled into Amy's embrace as the door swung open. She was ushered in and sat down on Bernadette's blue couch. She smiled at her two friends as they took their spots. Amy sat down beside Penny and Bernadette took the arm chair.

"Hey are you guys hungry? I was thinking that we could order some pizza, talk and maybe watch a sappy rom-com." Penny said brightly. Bernadette agreed and ordered a large pizza and picked out The Sweetest Thing. She sat back down and looked at Penny with a smile on her face.

"So, Howard tells me that you've gone back to school!" She said excitedly. Penny smiled back and nodded.

"Yeah, it's awesome so far, but we'll see how I'm feeling when finals roll around." She said with a small laugh. Whenever she thought about her final exams, she felt a little panicked and her palms would sweat.

"That's wonderful, Bestie, but I'm a little saddened that my chances of walking the red carpet with you at the Oscars are now diminished." She said with a sigh. Penny laughed.

"What chances? I sucked, Ames. I was never going to win an Oscar." She said. She was glad that she could now come to terms with her failed career.

"Penny, the odds were there. Though they were miniscule and not in in your favor, they were there." She reassured her.

"So what else is new with you ladies?" Penny asked, not wanting the night to revolve around her.

"My research with rhesus monkeys is coming along. I'm studying the altruistic behavior displayed in them when a different species is subjected to harm." She said flatly. Penny looked a little worried.

"Don't worry Penny, the shocks administered are within industry standard." She reassured her.

Penny looked over at Bernadette and smiled.

"How about you? What's new in the life of Bernadette?" Penny asked.

"Oh nothing much. You know.. being a Doctor and stuff." She said dismissively. "We want to know what is going on in the life of Penny." She said with a small twinkle in her eye. Both her and Amy unconsciously leaned closer in their seats. Penny looked at them and sighed.

"Is it true?" Bernadette asked with anticipation of the answer.

"Is what true?" She teased. She knew that someone told them. Probably Howard.

"Is it true that you and Sheldon are getting it on like a couple of Catholic newlyweds who were saving themselves for marriage?" Amy asked. She was practically buzzing in her seat.

"Amy!" Penny cried as she gently smacked her in the arm. She looked down at the floor trying to hide the smile that she had plastered on her face. Her stomach filled with butterflies and she sighed.

"He smells like Gain and grapefruit." She dreamily admitted as she sunk into the comfortable cushions. Amy and Bernadette squealed in delight together. Penny looked at her friends and could see that they were truly happy for her.

They talked for a little bit about what it's like to be dating Sheldon. Though he and Penny had really been only dating for two days, it felt more like years. She realized then that he stole her heart a very long time ago.

The pizza came and they ate while they watched their movie. Cameron Diaz was such a cut up. Bernadette looked over at Penny with a look of worry on her face.

"Is it hard Penny? You have to deal with so much. Sheldon has a lot of baggage." She said concerned. Penny considered this for a moment. Sheldon did have a lot of baggage, but he was different with her and somehow he managed to check it at the metaphorical door when he was with her. Penny quickly shook her head.

"No, it's actually the easiest thing I've ever done." She said very sure of her answer. This made her friends smile.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

After their evening of gossip, pizza and movies, Penny drove home. She walked into the building and upstairs. Her keys jingled as she pulled them from out of her pocket. She pressed them into her lock and heard the door to 4A open. Sheldon stepped into the hallway and she could hear him walking up behind her. His hands wrapped around her waist and he kissed the top of her head.

"I missed you." He confessed into her hair. Sheldon wasn't sure why he said it, but he meant it. He didn't know why he felt so empty when she left to go hang out with the girls. It was like a piece of him left with her for a few hours. He tried to re-build his Lego death star, but all he could think about was her. She placed her arms on his and made him hug her tighter.

He spun her around and looked into her face. He wondered if she knew how beautiful she was. Not hot, sexy or cute, but truly beautiful. She rose up and kissed him quickly. Turning back to her door she unlocked it and pressed inside. She looked back at him as she tossed her keys into the bowl. He looked sad that she had crossed the barrier into her apartment, leaving him in the cold hallway.

"Do you want to come in?" She asked her voice filled with longing. He nodded and crossed the threshold closing the door behind him. Like opposing poles on a magnet, they quickly came together in a flurry of hurried kisses. She began to push up his shirts while practically dragging him to her bedroom.

Not wanting to lose control of the situation. Sheldon gently pushed Penny onto her bed. She smiled and bit her bottom lip up at him. He looked her over and wanted to cover her entire body with kisses. He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of fabric and held it tightly in his hand.

"I want you to put these on." He said as he offered her the underwear that he had stolen from her. She took them from him and looked confused.

"Sheldon, are these mine?" She asked slightly baffled. How did he end up with her underwear?

"Yes, they are. Now, go to the bathroom and put them on." He demanded. She looked at her panties and back at Sheldon. He was serious. She wondered what would happen if she defied him.

"Sheldon, I don't think so. You can take me as I am or not at all." She simply stated. Sheldon felt like his plan to be the sexual aggressor was backfiring. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her up off the bed. She didn't expect him to be quite that strong.

He put his hand on the small of her back and led her toward her closed bathroom door. His hand grasped the door handle and he pressed her against the door by leaning his weight against hers. She felt him lean in and press his lips just behind her ear while simultaneously grinding his arousal into her backside. She felt the familiar tingling in her lower abdomen.

"Don't make me ask you again, Penny." He said firmly while twisting the doorknob. Her body betrayed her when she felt his breath in her ear and she let out a soft and quiet moan. The door quickly opened and he gave her a gentle push inside. She half stumbled, half walked into the bathroom and he quickly shut the door.


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay people, fasten your seat belts and tune the radio. **

**This chapter is inspired by R U Mine? by the Arctic Monkeys (I do not own! B-T-Dubs). I couldn't stop listening to it while I wrote.  
**

**Its not a songfic chapter and no song elements are obvious. It just sets the tone. I recommend you quickly listen to it and keep the song in the back of your mind while reading.  
**

**:D  
**

**Chapter 16**

Penny quickly changed out of her clothes into her underwear. Why did he have them? Perhaps he picked them up on his way out this morning. She fluffed up her loose curls and swept a thin coat of lip stain across her lips and topped it off with Chap Stick. When she came home, she didn't expect to meet aggressive Sheldon in her bedroom. She thought it was cute that he tried to control her through sex.

She turned toward the door and was nervous because she had no idea what his plan was. She quickly decided that she was going to gain the upper hand by being the big 'ol five that she was. Opening the door, she could see that the lights were off, except her lamp. She saw him sitting on the edge of her bed in a pair of red boxer briefs. Yes, boxer briefs.

The look on his face was priceless. His expression was the same as when she gave him his now broken Star Trek Transporter. She watched him rake his eyes up her body. The soft light illuminated her curves in all the right places. She stood with her weight on one foot.

This caused her hip to jut out to the side. Running her fingertips up her thighs, she arched her back as she gently moved them up her stomach and gently cupped her bare breasts. Sheldon could only stare as she rolled her nipples in between her fingertips.

He felt dehydrated. Her eyes met his and she slowly stalked toward him. Sheldon realized how dry his mouth was when he had trouble swallowing. She stood in front of him, letting her arms fall to the side.

"Do you like what you see, Dr. Cooper?" She asked as she trailed a finger along his shoulder.

Sheldon quickly realized that he was no longer in control of the situation when he was slowly nodding in response to her question. She pushed him further onto the bed and crawled in between his legs. She could see his member pressing against the fabric that held him in place.

Moving slowly up his body, she nibbled on his flesh. His breath was coming out quickly and softly and she watched as his chest expanded and contracted. She planted a soft kiss on his jawline and backed up so she was sitting on her heels.

He reached out and touched her skin just above where her underwear sat on her hip. She batted his hand away and ran hers back up her body. Their eyes met and he was suddenly shy. He wanted to watch her explore herself, but didn't know how to ask.

He could feel her press her hips to his as she leaned down and engaged him in a kiss. Since he was used to open mouth kissing she decided to surprise him by adding her tongue into the mix. She gently prodded his tongue with hers and he moaned into her mouth.

She pulled away and moved her kisses to his neck. She was gently dragging her aching clit along his hard, clothed member. Each time she did it he would respond by bucking his hips toward her to get better friction.

When he bucked, she would move her hips away, never letting him fully feel the sensation he wanted. It was torturous. She sucked on his earlobe and felt him shiver under her. She pulled back a little to whisper in his ear.

"What do you want Dr. Cooper?" Her question came out as a plea. He turned his head toward her neck and gently sucked and nipped along her jugular. He could feel her pulse racing against his tongue. He almost lost it. His head was spinning and he felt like he was about to black out. He finally found his voice.

"Pen- oh lord, wait. Wait wait wait." He rushed through the second half of his almost incoherent sentence. He didn't want to end this encounter yet. She pulled away and sat back on her heels. She was surprised that he lasted as long as he did and she knew if she kept going he would be done.

Sheldon pressed his head into her mattress and closed his eyes. He just needed a minute to calm himself down. It was too much; he couldn't breathe. He brought his hands to his face and sucked in as much air as his lungs would allow. Upon exhaling, he opened his eyes and looked up at Penny.

"Can I watch you touch yourself?" He asked as he trailed a finger on her abdomen along her panty line. His tone made him sound like a teenager. She smiled. "I want you to show me what you like." He concluded. She nodded, suddenly very aware of her body.

She tucked her thumbs into the waistband of her lacy hip huggers and began tugging them down her hips. Sheldon reached out and touched her hands to stop her. She pouted for a moment then ran her hands back up her body and into her hair. She squished her breasts together as they trailed back down.

Wanting to give him a show, she leaned back a bit resting one of her hands behind her. She traced her fingers over the fabric that was covering her slick center with her free hand before pushing it to the side. She slowly explored her folds before pressing her thumb against her sensitive button. She moved her thumb in slow circles and slid a finger into her entrance.

Her moan was soft and she lolled her head back causing her breasts to become more exposed. She knew that she could get herself off in a matter of minutes if she really wanted to, but she wanted to show him how to take his time and enjoy the moment, so she slowly worked herself over.

Sheldon's legs were on either side of hers and he was propped up on his elbows. He watched her as she explored herself, wanting nothing more than to be the one touching her and exploring her. He needed to collect data though; he needed the map to Penny's pleasure to be etched into his brain. The pressure built up in his lower abdomen but he ignored it. He knew that if he touched himself it would be over too soon and he wanted more. He needed more.

Penny's orgasm was building quickly. Her breaths came out ragged and short. She knew she was on the edge and she needed something to push her over it. She felt Sheldon sit up and quickly replace her hands with his. He thrust two fingers into her and rubbed her clit with his thumb. She cried out and was so close. Sheldon quickly took her glistening fingers into his mouth as he felt her walls pulse, pulling him in closer than he ever thought possible.

Sheldon didn't even realize that he was sucking on her fingers until her taste washed over him. She tasted like a sweet and slightly tangy fruit. He cleaned off her fingers and removed them from his mouth just as she climaxed.

"Holy fuck! Shel-" She cried as her brain's pleasure center went into over drive. Obeying the laws of gravity, she slowly came down from her high. He removed his hand from her wetness and was tempted to taste her again. Her hands found his chest and she pushed him back against the mattress.

"I'm going to make you feel good, Sheldon" She said as she climbed back on top of him. He looked into her eyes and instead of being sleepy and subdued; she had a feral look haunting them. She kissed his neck and down his body. Her teeth latched onto his waistband and she began to peel the fabric away. He lifted his hips to assist her take off the only thing separating him from her.

She quickly licked her dry lips at the sight of him. He was very well endowed. He was probably a little bigger than average but she was surprised by the girth. She looked at him and his eyes were frantic. He had never been exposed like this to anyone except himself.

She grasped his aching member in her hand and placed small kisses along his thigh. His penis lurched in her hand as he felt her hot breath on his skin. She kissed up his shaft and softly took his head in her mouth.

Instantly, his eyes rolled back and he pressed his head against the mattress. A groan escaped his lips and his hand unconsciously found its way into her hair. Her mouth was hot and wet. She swirled her tongue around him and he sucked in a breath through his teeth.

Sheldon's brain was moving a million miles a second and she began to slowly suck on him, drawing him further into the back of her throat. He could literally feel the dopamine and oxytocin being released into his system. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to speak.

"Oh, fuck." He whispered on his first attempt. That was not at all what he wanted to say. How embarrassing. He tried again.

"Pe- Penny, I'm- oh God." He said as she gently pressed on his perineum. His body shook and his grasp on her hair tightened. He shot his fluid into the back of her throat and she quickly swallowed it.

After she finished devouring her boyfriend, she pulled away from him and laid down on her back. They both stared up at the ceiling in silence. He turned his head toward her and she met his eyes. Sheldon wanted her close. He didn't think this would have ever happened and he didn't know the social protocol of what proceeds these events.

He lazily smiled at her, and his brain was still buzzing. He grasped her hand into his and pulled her toward him. She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest. Her fingers were making lazy counter clock-wise circles in his chest hair. She listened as his heart beat found a steady rhythm.

"You're amazing, Penny." Sheldon confessed. She could feel his voice reverberating in his chest as he spoke. She smiled at his sincerity. She turned her head and kissed him beside his nipple.

"You're amazing too, Sheldon.' She said with adoration. She looked up at him. His face was serene and he had his arm stretched behind his head, the nape of his neck resting in his palm. His eyes met hers and they were calm. A big grin suddenly snuck onto his face.

"You called me Dr. Cooper." He said as his eyes sparkled. She laughed. It was true, she did say that.

"I liked it." He quickly admitted.

"I know." She countered.

Sheldon glanced over at the clock. It was 11:30 pm. He really should be in his own bed sleeping. Though, he didn't mind losing hours of sleep to activities like this. It was much better than getting lost in a virtual forest trying to find a way to get the bucket so he could carry the mud past the dragon. He yawned and Penny looked up at him.

"I should go. It's past my bedtime. I don't want to be yawning in public tomorrow." He stated and he started to get up and put his clothes back on.

"Why don't you want to yawn in public?" She asked, unsure if she really wanted the answer. He looked back at her and looked sullen.

"Then people will see my oddly shaped uvula, Penny." He said and leaned over and kissed the top of her head. He walked toward the door and called back to her.

"When I leave, you have to come lock your door. I don't want you getting attacked in the night by marauders." He opened the door and he was gone. She smiled at his concern. She snuggled back into her bed and her front door was quickly opened again. She shot up in bed and looked toward the door.

"Penny, I told you to come lock your door! You better do it this time." She rolled her eyes and got up out of bed. She walked over to the front door and locked the deadbolt.

"Thank you." Sheldon said through the door. She smiled, patted the door and returned to bed.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thank you all for reading!  
**

**I'm going to be going on a bit of a hiatus over the next two weeks.  
**

**I'm giving you 17 and 18 together for the next two weeks.  
**

**Enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 17**

The following week went by in a flash. Penny was busy getting into school work and writing papers and Sheldon was writing a paper on the Higgs Boson that was sure to revolutionize humanity's understanding of the particle.

They saw each other briefly on Tuesday night at the Cheesecake Factory and they watched The Fifth Element together on Thursday night at his place. Sheldon made a comment that he was like Leeloo, being a supreme being, who was humanities only hope and she was like Korban Dallas, being a crass, yet loveable rebel.

Sunday was finally Penny's day off and she wanted to make the most of it by staying in bed all day. She felt a little exhausted and didn't want to even have to think about getting up. She rolled around in bed for a half hour before her body decided it was time to get up.

She threw her robe on over her shorts and tank top and went into the kitchen to make some coffee. The unmistakable scent filled the room and she started to feel a bit better. She poured herself a cup and held the mug in her hands trying to absorb the warmth it provided.

The silence was broken when Sheldon knocked on her door. She walked toward it with her coffee in hand. She quickly opened the door to see him standing with his hands behind his back in his black Reddit alien t-shirt and white thermal. He looked at her and then looked at his watch.

"Penny, why are you not ready? I told you that I would be here to pick you up at ten." He said slightly disappointed. She had completely forgotten that he had an entire day planned for them. She took his hand and led him inside. He sat down on her couch and turned on her television.

"You have… twenty-six and a half minutes to get presentable. I will not have your tardiness cut into the activities that I planned." He stated. She sighed and knew she could get ready in less.

She didn't bother with a shower, she threw her hair up into a messy pony and washed her face. After her lashes were curled and power was dusted across her t-zone, she slipped out of her sleepwear and changed into a pair of cutoffs and an orange t-shirt. As she was walking out of her bedroom, she swiped on some lip gloss and headed toward the door. Sheldon caught her movements out of his peripherals and again looked at his watch.

"Not bad, Penny. Nine minutes and forty-seven seconds!" He congratulated her. He got up off of the couch and they made their way downstairs, into the parking lot toward her car.

"Is your check engine light still on?" He asked as they walked across the pavement.

"Yes, Sheldon. It's still on. I'm just going to wait for the light to burn out. That way, the next time you ask I can say no." She said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"You know that they make tools for common laymen to assist in finding solutions to their diagnostic problems." He said. She looked up at him through her sunglasses and sighed.

"Well, isn't that nice? Luckily for me, I have one in my back pocket!" She said sarcastically. She didn't want to take her car in because it would cost too much and they would just take advantage of her. Her car hasn't blown up yet, so they should be fine.

"Please, it wouldn't fit into your shorts." Sheldon said slightly amused. "Penny, luck is hokum. But, luckily for you, I happened to borrow Leonard's On-Board Diagnostic meter. We are going to take care of that light right now." He finished as he pulled the device out of his bag.

He had read enough about the procedure to know what he was doing and he memorized all of the codes and their meanings. He opened her driver's side door and plugged the meter into a socket that was just under her steering wheel near the brake pedal. He turned the car over and waited. The code told him that her gas cap didn't fit right or was loose.

He unplugged the meter and put it back in his bag. He was so relieved. All this time, he thought her car was going to be the death of him by combusting and consuming their trapped bodies. He turned off her car and got out.

"Your gas cap is either loose or ill-fitting. So now that your issue has been diagnosed, you can work toward a solution." He said. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned his back against the side of her car. After all of that time she was dating Leonard, he had something that could help her and he never even bothered. Sheldon didn't even drive and he was more helpful.

"Do you feel more safe?" She asked. He smiled at her and gave her a quick chaste kiss.

"My safety is less of a concern, as you drive this car nearly every day. I just wanted to ensure your safety was maximized. Also, you should have asked if I feel safer, rather than if I feel-." He said. She pressed her lips to his; she couldn't care less about grammar at that moment.

They made out against her car for a few more minutes before he gently pushed her away. He moved around the car and got into the passenger seat. She reluctantly got into the driver's seat.

They drove to the Del Mar train station and had lunch at La Grande Orange Café. He ordered the Signature burger with everything on the side with lemonade to drink and she ordered the chicken spinach salad and a water. Sheldon told her about the history of light rail trains as they ate.

Afterward, Sheldon and Penny drove to the Arboretum Botanical Gardens. As they walked hand in hand through the gardens they chatted.

"My favorite flowers are carnations." She told him. "People say they are filler flowers, but I just think they are awesome." She confessed. Sheldon logged her preference for flowers into his brain. He didn't understand the social convention of giving flowers, but for Penny he would set his aversion aside.

"The genus name for carnations is formed from the Greek words Dios, meaning divine and Anthos, meaning flower." He rambled off. "They are also the state flower of Ohio." She smiled at him and rested her head on his upper arm as they walked. She loved his big beautiful brain.

"Carnations are also my MeeMaw's favorite flower. She especially loves the dark pink ones with white running through them." He said wistfully.

"Do you miss your MeeMaw?" Penny asked. She loved when he talked about her. It was one of the reasons she knew he wasn't some robot man not capable of love.

"I miss her every day, Penny." He said sincerely. They continued their walk in a comfortable silence as they took in the beauty of the garden's grounds.

oOoOoOoOoOo

After their afternoon together, Penny found herself exchanging spaghetti and hot dogs for tutoring in her music class. They were listening to the forth movement of Vivaldi's Four Seasons on her laptop and Sheldon was trying to deconstruct the piece for her. She quickly interrupted him.

"So Baroque was a guy right?" Penny asked in confusion. Sheldon stopped his small hand movements that were going in time with the rhythm. He looked over at her and shook his head.

" No, Penny. Baroque is a musical period ranging from 1600 to 1780. There were many _guys_ or _composers_ that composed music during that time. Baroque music expanded the size, range, and complexity of instrumental performance, and also established opera as a musical genre." Sheldon stated. Her brain couldn't process what he was saying.

She flopped backward on the couch. He was being so patient with her. It was much different than when he tried to teach her physics. For one, she wasn't trying to impress someone else; she wasn't doing it to feign interest in someone else; she was doing it for her.

Her legs moved from the floor to resting across Sheldon's lap. He no longer flinched or stiffened at her touch. His hands rubbed along her calf giving her a gentle massage. Her legs were smooth and soft. He looked into her face and could see frustration in her eyes.

His hand moved up her calf and rested on her thigh. She met his gaze and half-heartedly smiled at him. She grasped his hand and pulled him closer to her.

"Let's take a break." She said with a suggestive smirk. He gently kissed her on the lips and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I'll tell you what," He said lifting his head away from hers. "Let's make this into a game. I'm going to ask you a series of ten questions relating to your course material. For every question you get right you will get two points and for every ten points you collect, you can cash in a sexual favor." He said in a slightly excited tone. She opened her mouth to speak and she tried to remember everything that she had learned in the past two weeks.

"Do you understand the rules, Penny?" Sheldon asked. Perhaps he could use the possibility of sexual acts as a motivational tool to help her study. He gave her a quick smirk. She quickly nodded.

"I have a question, can I bundle up my points to get bigger prizes?" She asked. He considered this for a moment. Perhaps he could let her keep a running tab of study points that she accumulated. He quickly shook his head.

"I don't think that we can talk about the redemption of your possible points until you have accumulated them. Perhaps this will be a dual lesson about getting yourself into credit card debt." He pointed out. She stuck out her tongue at his playful jab.

"Whatever, Moonpie. Let's play." She said confidently.

He proceeded to question her about her study material and she was doing quite well. She collected a total of ten points, but also got the other half of the question series wrong. She didn't care; she had ten points. Sheldon moved her legs, got up and moved to the kitchen to grab a diet coke.

"So what will ten points get me?" She asked coyly. He returned with a diet coke for her as well. He thought about it for a moment and his mouth quirked up.

"We will model the point redemption system after the baseball system of sexual endeavors. So ten points will get you to first base, twenty-six points will get you to second base and forty points will get you to third." He said with a grin.

"If you redeem your points now, you can engage me in an open mouthed kiss, tongue optional with light touching over the clothes." He concluded, happy with the study system he had developed for her. She frowned a bit, because they had gone further than that before.

"Does this mean we aren't going to do stuff together until I study enough?" She asked slightly defeated. She didn't like this game anymore.

"Penny, come now. If you study with me in your free time, you will accumulate all the points you could ever want. Besides, the rules state that you can use your points to engage me. I am not participating, so I can still engage you in sexual acts." He countered with a sly smile. She frowned again.

"How many points do I need for you to slide into home?" She asked, smiling at her euphemism. Sheldon hadn't considered that possibility. She would have to certainly work for it.

"One-hundred points." He concluded. Her mouth dropped open. How was she supposed to collect that many? She would have to commit the next two weeks to playing Sheldon's study game. She looked at her overly proud boyfriend and decided he would be worth the investment.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author note at the end.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 18**

Penny focused on studying with Sheldon over the next two weeks and it actually paid off. Not only did she accumulate 90 points, but she also got and A- on her music midterm exam. She didn't even care about the points really, because Sheldon still got physical with her on his terms. They still hadn't had sex, and though she would patiently wait for him to be ready, the waiting was getting hard.

She was over at the boy's place watching them play Mystic Warlords of K-ah. Sheldon was a tricky person to play with because of his eidetic memory. She wondered what would happen if he went to Vegas and played blackjack.

"Screaming Harpy." Howard said as he threw his card on the pile.

"My Enchanted Troll bludgeons your Screaming Harpy with a cursed mace. Game" Sheldon threw down his card after contemplating his move for a moment.

Penny smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss. He felt like a knight and she was his damsel. Howard stared at the pair. He wasn't sure he could ever get over Sheldon kissing any one.

He did have to admit that he had calmed down in the recent weeks. It was almost like Sheldon had been transformed into a real boy! Sheldon would have usually gloated and held the win above their heads, but instead he just continued on.

"Well, I have to go and help my mother pumice her feet." Howard said. Everyone gave him a disgusted look. Raj got up with him and they left together.

Sheldon and Penny sat on the couch and she was snuggled up into him, his hand draped over the back of the sofa. Leonard sat in the arm chair texting Priya as they all watched Star Trek: The Original Series together.

"I'm going to go to the movies with Priya, do you guys want to come?" Leonard asked as he got up off of the chair. He looked at Penny and Sheldon snuggled on the couch and thought that they really were great together. He could finally see it. After he and Sheldon had their spat, he decided that they were just never meant to be. He and Priya were.

"Nah, we're good." Sheldon spoke for the both of them. Penny was thankful, because Priya hated her and the feeling was mutual. Leonard nodded and headed out the door. Sheldon looked at Penny nuzzled in beside him and smiled. He wanted to share his news with her when it was just the two of them.

"So, Howard is currently maintaining the equipment on Stephen Hawking's wheelchair." Sheldon said nonchalantly. Penny didn't know exactly what Stephen Hawking did, but she knew that he was important in Sheldon's world. She quickly sat up and genuinely felt excited for him.

"Really? That's awesome! Do you get to meet him?" She asked meeting his sparkling eyes. She was surprised because she was more excited than he was. He probably already freaked out about it.

Sheldon was trying very hard to contain his excitement. He remembered when Howard told him. He went to his room and screamed into a pillow. His face ticked and burst into a big smile.

"Stephen Hawking read my paper on the Higgs Boson particle and he wants to meet me!" Sheldon exclaimed. He was quickly being pulled into a quick embrace. She pulled away and was genuinely excited for him. This could mean so much for his career.

"Penny, I get to meet Stephen Hawking tomorrow!" He cried. He felt the excitement building up inside of him. His cheeks began to ache because he was smiling so hard.

"What are you going to wear?" She quickly asked. His smile faded and he looked at her skeptically.

"It's not a fashion show, Penn." He quickly chastised her. "It's science, and I will be wearing what I would normally wear to work." He concluded. She smiled.

"At least wear a blazer when you meet him." She suggested. He nodded and they settled back into the show.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sheldon was standing before one of the greatest minds of the 21st century. He was so nervous. The blazer he had decided to wear over his t-shirt/thermal combo was making him sweat. He clutched his paper tightly in his hand and finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"Professor Hawking, it's an honor and a privilege to meet you, sir." Sheldon stated with admiration and confidence. He waited as the machine on Stephen Hawking's chair beeped and whirred.

"I know." He replied. Sheldon nodded his head, knowing what it was like to have a brilliant mind.

"I want to thank you for taking time to see me." He quickly said. The machine beeped.

"My pleasure, I enjoyed reading your paper very much. You clearly have a brilliant mind." He replied. Sheldon was slightly caught off guard. He just received a compliment from Stephen Hawking. Really though, it was more like a statement.

"I know." Sheldon replied nodding his head. The machine beeped.

"Your thesis that the Higgs Boson is a black hole accelerating backwards through time is fascinating." He replied. Sheldon knew that his discovery was a very exciting one and it would surly move him closer to winning the Nobel Prize.

"Thank you." He shrugged his shoulders. "It just came to me one morning in the shower." He sheepishly replied. The machine beeped.

"That's nice. Too bad it's wrong." He replied. Sheldon's heart stopped for a second and his stomach flopped. He began to nervously shake and his face twitched.

"What do you mean, wrong?" Sheldon stammered. The machine beeped.

"You made an arithmetic mistake on page two." He replied. Sheldon's heart hammered in his chest. There was no way he had made a mistake. The math was perfect!

"It was quite a boner." Stephen Hawking concluded. Sheldon felt light headed. He quickly looked at his paper and back to Stephen Hawking.

"No.. No.. T-t-that can't be right." He said while flipping through the pages. "I don't make arithmetic mistakes." He said. The machine beeped.

"Are you saying I do?" He asked. This can't be happening. How did this get so off track?

"No, no." Sheldon said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Of course not, it's just, I was thinking." He saw it. How could he have missed it? It was such a stupid mistake! He was quickly flooded with embarrassment. He had just made a fool of himself in front of Stephen Hawking!

"Oh gosh, golly! I made a boo-boo.. and I gave it to.." His world suddenly became smaller and blackness was consuming his vision and clouding his mind. "Stephen Hawking." He concluded and then promptly passed out.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sheldon laid in his bed. He was so frustrated with himself. He had let himself get distracted with his feelings and now he was a fool in Stephen Hawking's eyes. He couldn't let himself get distracted any more. He had to end it with Penny.

His mind moved to Penny with her blond hair, good looks and charm. She had caused the mistake in his work. If he stayed true to his work, he would have quadruple checked his math. Tears stung his eyes. He thought about what his life would be like after he surgically removed her from it.

It sucked. It had to be done though, she was getting in the way of his ultimate goal. He couldn't lose it. He worked too hard. Tears fell down his temples into his hair. He quickly wiped them away and closed his eyes.

Sheldon Cooper did not cry. He sat up in his bed and grabbed his phone. Better just to get things over with, like ripping off the proverbial Band-Aid. He quickly typed out a text to Penny.

"_I have to talk to you." _He quickly hit the send button. His phone buzzed in his hands.

"_Right now?" _She asked. He walked out to the living room and texted back.

"_Yes." _He stood in the living room in front of the coffee table with his hands clasped behind his back.

She knocked lightly and entered his apartment. He looked upset, sad and afraid all at the same time.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" She asked concerned for her boyfriend. He began to pace. She moved toward the couch.

"Don't bother sitting, Penny." He said cold and distant, stopping her in her tracks. "My meeting with Professor Hawking didn't go well today." He stated. She was confused. Why was he acting like this?

"Oh no, what happened?" She quickly asked. He stared at her and continued.

"Oh no, indeed. There was a mistake in my findings, Penny." Tears welled up in his eyes and he took a deep breath. "I made a fool of myself in front of one of the greatest minds of the 21st century. Thank you." He finished.

Her mind was racing. Was he mad at her? Then something clicked. He was blaming her.

"You're saying that _I_ caused that mistake?" She replied hurt and angry.

"I don't make mistakes, Penny!" He shouted at her. He took a steady breath to calm himself down. "I can no longer afford to make mistakes, so I am going to have to discontinue this relationship." He said. Tears stung his eyes and he quickly wiped them away.

"What? Sheldon, you don't know what you're saying!" She cried, her cheeks were now streaked with tears.

"I have an I.Q. of 187 and I have a working knowledge of the universe and everything it contains. I believe that I do know what I am saying, Penny. Now if you could leave." He said motioning toward the door.

"Sheldon, please don't." She pleaded through tears. He looked away. He hated seeing her cry.

"Penny, I asked you to leave." He said quietly. His insides were screaming at him to stop.

"Sheldon, please, you're breaking my heart!" She cried as she walked a couple of steps toward him and tried to reach out and touch his arm. Tears fell from Sheldon's cheeks onto his t-shirt creating darkened circles. He moved backward to avoid her touch, although it was everything he wanted and more in that moment.

"Just go, please." He pleaded. She huffed and left his apartment. She slammed the door behind her and Sheldon winced at the sound. It seemed to echo in his brain for an eternity. Sheldon's lip quivered and he took a shaky breath. He sniffled, wiped his face and returned to his bedroom. He sat in there for the rest of the evening crying into his pillow.

**Please don't hate me :|**

**I have to leave you with a bit of drama to make sure you're still here when I get back, so no angry emails!  
**

**:)  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey all!**

**I managed to get online for a couple minutes. I'm still going to be away next week, but I want to get you closer to resolution. :)**

**Chapter 19**

Penny slammed her door and collapsed against it. Her legs were weak and shaky and refused to hold her body up any longer. Slowly, she slid to the floor, sobbing. She knew that her relationship with Sheldon was too good to be true. They hadn't fought until that point. If she was in a normal non-Sheldon relationship, it would have been a fight. Words would have been exchanged and they would have made up and probably had sex.

Not with Sheldon though. The first sign of murky waters and he breaks up with her. She couldn't believe that he was blaming her for the mistake in his paper. What an asshole! Her whole body heaved with every angry sob she let out.

Inside, her heart felt missing. Of course it was missing. Sheldon had ripped it out of her chest in his apartment and stomped on it. She felt like she was on fire. So many emotions were running through her. She caught her breath and breathed deeply. _'Fuck you, Sheldon!' _She thought to herself.

She fished her phone out of her pocket and shot off an angry text to him. She probably should have waited until she had calmed down and eaten half a gallon of ice cream.

"_It's funny that you said you couldn't afford to make mistakes, because you just made the biggest mistake of your life. Go fuck yourself, Sheldon."_ She hit the send button and felt a small twinge of satisfaction. He wasn't going to break her heart and get the last say.

She got up off of the floor and went to the cupboard and pulled out a bottle of tequila. She sat down on the couch and took a shot straight out of the bottle. She wanted the familiar fuzzy feeling that she used to know. She wanted all of the memories of her and Sheldon to stop flooding her mind.

She hadn't had a drink, not even a glass of wine for the past month. After a few more shots, she began to feel lightheaded and her brain got cloudy. She should have stopped there, but didn't. She began to look through her phone and saw the picture that she and Sheldon took together at the botanical gardens. Her head was tucked into his jawline and his was resting against hers. He was smiling. He was happy. She was happy and now she was heartbroken.

She drank herself into a stupor and stumbled off to bed, hoping that she would forget that Sheldon Lee Cooper, the robot man who she was in love with for years, existed. The room spun and she closed her eyes to stop it. She fell asleep in her clothes, not bothering to change into pajamas.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

There was a light knock on Sheldon's door before Leonard stepped in. He had heard him sobbing through the wall that their bedrooms shared. He decided that he would wait until morning to talk to him. It was 6:00 and Sheldon should be getting up anyway for cereal and Dr. Who.

"Leonard, you can't be in here." Sheldon stated flatly. His head pounded and his body ached.

"Sheldon, are you ok?" He softly asked. Sheldon was curled up on his bed in the fetal position, clutching his legs to his chest.

"No." He simply stated. Leonard took a seat on the bed beside him.

"What's wrong, buddy. I hate it when you're like this." Leonard replied.

"I made a mistake." Sheldon said. He was so still. It looked like he wasn't even breathing. Leonard had heard about Sheldon's flub with Professor Hawking. He thought it was funny that he fainted, but he would be just as equally devastated.

"You've made worse mistakes before, Sheldon. It will pass." Leonard said trying to be comforting. He sat in silence for a few moments staring at Sheldon's back.

"I'm not talking about that." Sheldon said breaking the silence. He felt the familiar sting of tears again, which just hurt now because he had been crying practically all night. Leonard was correct, he would bounce back. He was a genius, after all.

His mind went back to that moment he knew was the biggest mistake of his life. The color drained from her face and tears created little trails on her cheeks. Her eyes were wide with disbelief and she looked like she couldn't breathe. Her voice came out pleading and he refused to give in. _'Sheldon, please, you're breaking my heart!" _Her voice replayed itself over and over, etched in his brain forever.

He was a stubborn man and he was set on what he wanted to achieve which was apparently intentionally hurting his girlfriend. The one person he let get close was driven out of his life because of his stubbornness.

"I broke up with Penny last night.' Sheldon confessed as he wiped the tears from his face. "Leonard, I love her. I didn't even know that I did. I knew that it would get to that point, but I know now that I have loved her from the first time we met. I thought that love at first sight was hokum, but I can assure you that it isn't." Sheldon said sitting up in his bed and looking at his friend.

"If you love her, Sheldon, you have to tell her." Leonard said quietly. He felt for his friend. This was his first break up, and they sucked. They sucked even more when you realized that you let the one thing you have ever wanted go.

"Thanks, Leonard. Please get out though. People aren't allowed in my room." Sheldon stated. Leonard nodded and left.

Sheldon contemplated Leonard's advice. Sheldon had to do everything in his power to make things right. She was the only thing that mattered. The Nobel would always be there. Penny wouldn't.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Penny's eyes shot open and she felt her body involuntarily get up. She ran into the bathroom and proceeded throwing up at least twelve shots of tequila. Her body heaved over the toilet and her mind recalled last night's events. She felt even worse.

She finished throwing up and brushed her teeth. Her brain was splitting with a headache and she smelled terrible. It was Saturday and she had to work in a few hours. There was no way she was going to make it, so she called in sick.

She sat on the sofa in her clothes from yesterday. Her toast popped in the toaster. She got up and ate it dry and unadorned. Memories started to flood into her mind. She recalled their first kiss. It was playing in slow motion over and over in her mind. It was so sweet and perfect. She gritted her teeth together to stop the tears from falling.

She grabbed her phone from the bedroom and sat back down on the couch. Sheldon hadn't texted her back. Surprise, surprise. She sent Amy a quick text.

"_hey Ames, R U busy 2day? Want 2 hang?" _She really needed her friend right now, even though she was technically Sheldon's friend first. Her stomach twisted. She would probably have to give up all of her friends. No more going over to the boy's apartment. It will be awkward as hell trying to tip toe past them. She will probably have to move. Her phone buzzed.

"_I'm on my way Bestie!" _Amy texted back.

Penny smiled, she was so glad to have her in her life. Her eyes drooped closed and she fell back to sleep. She dreamed of Sheldon and his soft kisses. It was terrible. It was awesome. It was exactly what she didn't need at that point.

Her door knocked and she sprung awake. She quickly moved toward the door and let Amy inside.

She latched onto her in a tight hug. She let out a sob and Amy stroked her hair. They stood like this for a few minutes before they sat on the couch. Amy looked into her friends face and wiped away her tears.

"What happened?" Amy quietly asked. Penny sniffled and ran her hands through her hair.

"Sheldon broke up with me last night." She admitted. Amy frowned and hugged her friend. They slowly rocked until Penny stopped shaking. She pulled away from her and looked away.

"I'm in love with him, Amy. I never wanted to get in the way of his work or his dream. I'm such an idiot for letting it happen in the first place. I thought he was different." Her voice shook as she spoke. Amy wasn't sure what to say.

"I think that he got scared and his first instinct was to run." Amy said softly. Penny's heart ached at her friend's statement. She didn't know why she was defending him, but she knew that she was right.

"I don't know what to do. I have never felt this way about anyone before, Ames. Ever." She confessed. She wished that she could just run over to him and make everything better.

They sat together on the couch for a while. Amy was holding on to her friend in her arms and Penny rested her head on Amy's shoulder. She was truly her best friend. They watched an episode of Sex and The City in silence.

Penny decided that she was feeling a little better and she needed a shower. She thanked Amy for coming over to comfort her. They hugged and Amy left.

Amy was in the hallway making her way toward the stairs and the door to 4A opened. Sheldon peeked around the door at her. He knew they had probably had a Sheldon bash fest and the pit in his stomach grew larger.

"She doesn't want to see you Sheldon." Amy quickly stated. He nodded. He just wanted to make things right. He wanted things to go back to how they were before.

"You really hurt her. For someone as smart as you are, you would think that you could have avoided this situation.' She told him. He nodded. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Amy, I love her." He quietly confessed. She nodded in return.

"If you love her, you need to find a way to make it right." She advised.

He nodded and she was gone. He stood in the hallway staring at 4B for a few minutes before returning to his apartment.


	20. Chapter 20

**The reviews on the last chapter were wonderful to read! I have been trying to study for a mid-term tomorrow, but this chapter has been itching the back of my skull.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 20**

Penny spent the rest of her day nursing her hangover. She still felt awful after her shower and her body didn't want to keep down anything. She tried to distract herself from Sheldon, but her attempts were futile. He was so embedded in her life, in her apartment, it was hard to escape him. She started making Penny Blossoms and thought she could drop them off at the farmer's market tomorrow, but as she sang a work song, she thought of him. He was supposed to be there singing it with her. Give me some time to blow the man down. She smiled at the memory.

She tried to watch some television, but the only good thing that was on was Firefly. Can't watch that. She tried cleaning, but thought that Sheldon would do a much better and thorough job. She sighed and decided that she was going to take a walk and clear her head. She needed some fresh air.

She tossed on her runners, grabbed her house key and opened the door. A flash of red caught her eye. She looked down and in front of her door was a single carnation sitting on top of a card. Her eyes scanned the hallway and settled on his door. She quickly picked up the items and brought them back into her apartment.

The scent of the flower was sweet and crisp. She smiled and her heart started beating faster. Her shaky hands opened the plain white card and two tickets fell out. She quickly picked them up and looked at them; two tickets to a classical concert at the Pasadena Symphony next weekend. She wanted nothing more than to run across the hall and into Sheldon's arms.

She set down the tickets on the coffee table, along with the flower. The white unadorned card had nothing on the front. The paper felt thick in her fingers. She opened it up and it read: "Please forgive me." in Sheldon's neat precise handwriting. She clutched the card to her chest and closed her eyes.

Her heart wanted to fix this so badly, but her brain reminded her that he hurt her. She wasn't sure if she could forgive him. Not wanting to get hurt again, she was tempted to throw away the card, scalp the tickets for a cool $700 and stomp the flower into the ground. She couldn't though. The card smelled of him, he had helped her appreciate classical music and the flower was beautiful.

She sat on the couch and picked up the flower. She held it under her nose, breathing in its sweet scent. The petals were a bright red. They were full and perfect. The stem was a dark green that contrasted beautifully against the brightly colored petals. She knew that he would remember what kind of flowers she preferred. She recalled their walk and how they walked in near silence, appreciating the beauty around them. It was a perfect first date.

She tossed down the flower and got up off the couch. She still needed to clear her head. Her mind was swimming with confusion and heart ached when she remembered him rejecting her and how quickly he had become cold and distant.

She walked out into the hallway and glanced at 4A for a few moments. She wondered if he was on the other side of the door at this very minute, if he had watched her pick up the items he had left for her, and if he was watching her now. She quickly strode toward his door, but disappeared down the stairwell instead.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Over the course of the next few days the crimson flowers that waited for her outside her door grew exponentially. Sunday, she received two more. Monday, four. Tuesday, eight. It was Wednesday and Penny still hadn't given him an answer. She took his apologies and selfishly stowed them away in her apartment.

She arrived home later in the evening and there were no carnations waiting for her. Her heart sunk a little. Maybe she should have given him an answer sooner, he had probably stopped trying. She sullenly walked into her apartment and dropped her bag by the door.

She began to walk toward the fridge when there was a knock at her door. Making her way back to the front door, she opened it. There he was. It must have killed him to not finish his knocking ritual. He was wearing his Green Lantern jersey t-shirt with a red thermal underneath. He looked like he hadn't slept well over the past couple of days. Stubble shaded his jawline and his eyes were bright. How she missed those blue eyes.

In his hands he held a bouquet of thirty pink, white and red carnations. He looked nervous and he was unconsciously biting his bottom lip. She looked into his face and could see that he was searching hers. What was he looking for? She quickly masked her emotions, so he couldn't read her. Not that he really could have anyway.

"Hi." He hesitantly said. His heart hammered in his chest at the sight of her. She looked well. He tried to read her expression, but failed.

"Hi." She returned the hesitation. He looked like a rugged man, instead of an over-grown six year old.

"These are for you." He said offering the flowers. She gently took them from him and their fragrance invaded her senses. "Can I come in?" He quickly asked. She looked into his face and could see that he was very sincere. She wanted to kiss his sweet lips, but she wanted to talk about everything first. She could have easily gone over to him at his first apology. She wanted to make sure he meant it.

"Sure, come on in." She said as she gave in. She suppressed the urge to wrap her arms around him and bury her face in his neck. She missed his crisp, refreshing scent.

They took their respective spots on her couch. She set the flowers on the coffee table. This felt all too familiar. The nervous energy that was present when he told her that he wanted to be with her hung thick in the air, though this time it was a different kind of nervousness that they both felt. It sat like a rock on a piece of wet tissue paper.

"Penny, I'm sorry." He started, talking into his fidgeting hands. They wanted to reach out and touch her, but he kept his intentions in check. "I was a fool. I should have never pushed you away." He finished quickly looking up into her eyes. They were the perfect shade of green, a little dark around the edges, but got lighter toward her pupils. They were like tiny slivers of diopside. Her eyes sparkled with tears and his heart ached.

"I don't know if I can forgive you, Sheldon." She stated, biting her lip to keep it from quivering. She was not going to cry. She had already given him too much of her emotions and she refused to show him her hand. She had to play her cards close to her chest.

His heart sunk. He knew she would say that. He couldn't forgive himself for his actions either.

"How am I supposed to trust you?" She asked. She looked at his twisting hands, wanting to reach out and physically stop them. She was right to be concerned.

"I don't know." He confessed. The one thing in the universe that he didn't know was how to make her forgive him. He just wanted to feel her body against his. He looked down again.

"Sheldon, you really hurt me. I wasn't lying when I told you that you broke my heart." She told him. He nodded as a tear splashed into his hands. Her voice rung clearly in his mind when she repeated those words. He had left her heart broken. He couldn't let himself cry again. He took a deep breath and looked into her face.

"I don't know how to make this right, but you have to let me try." He said just above a whisper. If she denied him, he didn't know what he would do. He needed her. She felt her stomach doing flip flops until it settled into a ball of stress. He was right. She had to give him a chance to redeem himself.

"Next time we have a fight, I want you to talk to me about it. I want to be there to support you and we should be able to work through it. Relationships aren't easy and I need you to commit yourself to it." She explained. He quickly nodded and hesitantly reached out to touch her hand. The touch sent a shock flying up his arm. He suddenly felt like he was present, like her touch breathed life into him.

"Penelope, I am truly sorry." He said while twisting his hands into hers. She let a single tear fall down her cheek before she pulled her hands away from him. She needed more, so she brought her hands up to the back of his head and pulled him toward her.

Their lips met and that spark once again ignited. Sheldon felt a wave of relief wash over him. They moved their lips in perfectly composed movements, making up for lost time. His tongue found hers and gently prodded and massaged her. She ran her hands through his hair and brought them to his jaw. She ran her fingers over Sheldon's scruff and smiled into his mouth. His baby soft hair was such a harsh contrast compared to his rough cheeks.

His hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. With her chest pressed against his, he could feel his heart beating in sync with hers. He broke their kiss and continued his way along her cheek, and down her neck until he was nuzzled into her vanilla scented strands. She returned his hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. She squeezed tightly and breathed him in, his stubble scratched against her cheek. She was afraid that if she let him go, he wouldn't stay.

"I love you, Penny." He said into her hair. He had to say it, he needed to release the emotional burden that was plaguing him for so long. She smiled and pulled away. She felt her heart swell. She knew that, for years, she felt the same and couldn't contain her response.

"I love you too, Sheldon." She said as she brought him back to her lips. The passion between them built as they shared each other's embrace. She couldn't deny that she was happy. It was too long to wait for him to touch her like that. She didn't ever want to let him go again. If she did, she would surely die.

They snuggled on the couch for the rest of the evening while watching a movie, stealing sweet kisses from each other. Sheldon didn't even care that he was missing out on Halo and new comic books.


	21. Chapter 21

**I went into class today and found out my mid-term is on Monday! **

**Phew! Here is 21 in celebration of the extra study days I get! **

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 21**

Penny woke up on the couch tangled up in Sheldon's arms. She wiggled her way out of his embrace and looked him over. He looked so serene when he slept. She hadn't really gotten the chance to watch him like this since they started dating. He breathed steadily, his chest slowly rising and falling with every quiet breath.

His expression was soft and his mouth was quirked up into a soft half smile. She wondered what he was dreaming about. His eyelashes were dark against his creamy skin. She took a moment to appreciate the stubble that shaded his jaw. He was always clean shaven and never looked like this.

She smiled and brought her hand up to gently touch his scruff. Her thumb swept along his full bottom lip. His smile grew wider and his eyes fluttered open. It was like he was sleeping beauty. He reached his hand up and placed it on hers. She felt him grasp her fingers and kiss the heel of palm. She felt the feeling of butterflies, how she longed for that feeling. He looked into her face and gave her a chaste kiss.

"Good morning." She softly said. Her eyes were bright and full of something that had always been there, but he was just noticing now. Love? Admiration?

"You're beautiful, Penny." He sleepily said. She smiled and blushed.

"I'm going to have a shower." She stated. "You can stay here if you want. I have oatmeal, and eggs and some bacon. Oh and we can make some toast if you want." She said excitedly as she walked toward the bathroom.

Sheldon watched her walk away from the couch and stretched before standing up. He slept surprisingly well on her teeny tiny couch. He cricked his neck and walked into the kitchen to start making breakfast for them.

Music started booming out of the bathroom. He closed the fridge and followed it. He walked into Penny's bathroom and steam engulfed him. It was thick and he could feel the hot air in his lungs. He could hear her quietly murmuring along to the lyrics. The door quietly clicked closed behind him as he made his way over to the tub. He pulled back the shower curtain a bit and spied on her.

She faced the steady stream of water and was dancing around in the shower while washing her hair. He quickly noted, one, how cute she was when she thought no one could see her and two, the adhesive Hello Kitty grips that lined her tub. He moved back and began to get undressed.

"You shouldn't be dancing around like that, Penny. I don't want to drive you to the hospital again." He said not wanting to surprise her by just climbing into the shower with her. The sound of his voice made her jump and she blushed. _'I guess the hero does always peek.' _She thought to herself.

She pulled back the curtain and popped her head out. He stood there, completely naked. She smiled at the sight and noted that he was already semi-hard. He got into the shower and pulled her close to him. The water was flowing steadily between their bodies. She felt him grow harder against her stomach as he ran his head under the water over her shoulder.

"Will you wash my back?" He asked handing her the soap bar. She nodded as she traded him places. She eyed the water droplets that made small trails down his surprisingly firm pectoral muscle. The soap quickly lathered up in her hands. She turned him around and she rubbed her hands all over his back, she gently massaged him and felt him relaxing under her touch. Water quickly washed away the slick soap from his skin. She made her way around to Sheldon's abdomen and began slowly rubbing down to his hard erection.

He moved the showerhead so that it was spraying away from them. Her body pressed up against his back as she wrapped her fingers around him. He pressed his hands against the wall and let his head fall forward. She slowly began to work up and down his length, twisting her wrist as she came to his sensitive tip.

"Oh, wow." He said quietly. The acoustics in the bathroom made it sound much louder. The music flooded his ears and he took in all of the sensations around him. He could hear the steady rhythm of the pop song she had playing on her iPod, her entire shower smelled of vanilla and her hand was making him feel like he was going to explode. She worked him over in long steady strokes.

He could feel his orgasm building, so he tried to distract himself by thinking about trains and comic books, and superheroes, and he could feel her kissing and licking up his back. The sensations were amazing, he couldn't fight it anymore. His body tensed and convulsed as he spilled his seed onto the tub floor. She took her hand away and he turned around after catching his breath.

He smiled at her. She was truly amazing. She drew back the curtain and moved to get out. He quickly grasped her fingers and pulled her back in. He pressed against her and brought his lips down to her neck.

"We're not done." He said against her skin, he pulled away from her and gently dropped to his knees. Her legs were being pushed apart and he snaked a hand up to rest on her backside. He gently brought her toward him and he placed small kisses along her hipbone down her thighs. She gasped when she felt his wet tongue touch her clit.

The feeling of his mouth on her was electrifying. She felt her knees quiver and they were beginning to turn into Jell-o. Two fingers gently explored her slick entrance. He took her sensitive nub into his burning mouth as he plunged two fingers into her. She cried out and all of her thoughts left her brain.

As far as Penny was concerned, the only thing that existed in the universe was the two of them. He pulsed his fingers in her, pleading for her to cum for him. Her mind was foggy and she was seeing stars. She felt like she couldn't hold on any longer when he began to gently suck on her clit.

"Shel-Oh my God! Oh my-" She cried as her walls crashed around his fingers She was thankful that he had a firm grip on her ass, otherwise she would have buckled under her intense orgasm. Her body shook and she pulled his hair and forced his head closer to her. He pulled away from her and looked up into her eyes. He felt proud that he could make her feel that way.

She smiled down at him after her vision returned to normal. He stood up and held her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his chest. He kissed the top of her head and moved to get out of the shower. He quickly toweled off and left to finish making them breakfast.

Penny stayed in the warmth of the shower for a few moments. Her iPod stopped playing halfway through their steamy shower, but she didn't even notice. She turned off the shower and dried herself off. Her towel had been replaced by a fresh one. _'Thanks, Sweetie.'_ She thought. She brushed out her hair, put on her short, cheeky robe and walked toward the kitchen.

The scent of bacon wafted through the air and her mouth salivated. She was met with Sheldon cooking for them. She liked how sexy he looked working his way through her kitchen. She smiled at him when he handed her a coffee with a bit of milk, no sugar.

"Thank-you." She quickly said. He handed her a plate of eggs, bacon and toast.

"No, Penny. Thank you." He replied. They ate in silence, the morning news playing in the background.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The door opened to 4A and Sheldon walked in. He was still wearing yesterday's clothes and was starting to feel uneasy, he was beginning to think that he would have to leave a change of clothes over at Penny's just so he didn't feel like he was deviating too much from his schedule. He strode past Leonard and Priya, who were sitting on the couch in each other's arms. They gave each other a knowing look.

Once in his bedroom Sheldon quickly changed his clothes. He contemplated having another shower, but he smelled like Penny and didn't want to rid himself of her. He scratched at his scruffy face and decided to shave. He hated not shaving, he felt like such a hobo.

Afterward he practically bounced back into the living room. He was in an endless state of euphoria and he almost didn't notice that Priya was half sitting on his spot when he walked in. He sat down beside Priya, even though he loathed her, he decided to let it slide.

"Hey buddy!" Leonard said with pride in his voice. "You and Penny are back together?" He quickly asked. Sheldon smiled over Priya at his roommate.

"Yes, we reconnected. I am quite relieved. I thought I really had lost her." He said quickly not wanting to remember the tiny rough patch they had just endured.

"Good, look, uh… Sheldon, we have to talk to you." Leonard started. Sheldon immediately felt anxious, like Leonard was going to punch him if he didn't hand over his lunch money. He didn't like the sound of having to talk. He told Penny that he needed to talk to her and look how that turned out.

"Priya and I have been spending a lot of time together. She has proposed that I move in with her, and I agreed." Leonard finished eyeing his friend trying to gauge his reaction.

Sheldon's heart sank and he began to feel slightly panicked at the thought of finding a new roommate. His heart rate accelerated as he remembered the roommate that lived with him before Leonard. He took a deep breath trying to control his emotions.

"Leonard if you are terminating the Roommate Agreement, you will need to notify me 30 days prior to your departure, in writing." Sheldon stated. He had always known that one day he and Leonard would part ways. He just didn't expect it to be so soon. Why did it have to be now? Everything was just getting back to normal.

Worry resonated within Sheldon. He didn't want to have to go through an entire interviewing process again and he certainly didn't want to have to retrain someone else to his specifications. He felt slightly betrayed by his now former roommate.

Leonard stiffly picked up an envelope that contained his written notice. He handed it to Sheldon and returned his arms around his girlfriend, whom he would soon be living with.

"I'll be out of your hair in two weeks. I've already started packing." Leonard said as Sheldon read over the contents of the envelope.

Sheldon wanted to speak with Leonard alone. He didn't want to plead him to stay in front of Priya, he knew his attempts would be futile and Leonard was going regardless of what he had to say about it. He turned his face away and tucked his hand to rest under his chin. It's not like he couldn't afford the apartment by himself. It was just easier to have someone to take him to work and the comic book store and appointments. What was he going to do?


	22. Chapter 22

**This chapter is a little lengthy, but trust me you won't be complaining.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 22**

Penny and Amy dug through the racks at Forever 21. They were looking for a cute dress that Penny could wear on her date with Sheldon tomorrow. She ended up finding a structured swing dress that hit her mid-thigh, but the high neck line balanced the dress out. She couldn't believe that Sheldon bought tickets for them that collectively cost more than her monthly bills.

"So did you hear that Leonard is moving out to live with Priya?" Amy asked. News travelled fast in their small social circle. She normally didn't like to gossip, unless it was with Penny. Penny nodded her head. Sheldon had told her a couple of nights ago. He was distraught about having to take the bus and his friend abandoning him. She talked with him and suggested that he try to learn to drive again. She could take him out in her car and try not to pass her bad driving habits on to him. He told her he would think about it.

"Yeah, I mean good for Leonard, if that's what he wants, but I feel bad for Shel. He's not good with sudden change." She told Amy as they left the store with Penny's purchase. She had almost considered proposing that she move in with him into Leonard's room. It would get too complicated though, where would the line be drawn between roommate and girlfriend. Would she be subjected to some crazy agreement with a girlfriend clause?

The breeze was cool as they walked back to Penny's car, which was sure to be excruciatingly hot since it was sitting in the blistering parking lot all afternoon. They immediately took down the top of her Golf Cabriolet and got in. The heat was sweltering and the a/c busted a couple of weeks ago.

They drove in a comfortable silence, Penny was thinking about what it would be like to live with Sheldon. It could work, well everything except the whole driving him everywhere thing. She could imagine them being in each other's space and just being together in a different capacity. She could see Sheldon making breakfast for her, even if it was just oatmeal Mondays. She knew his schedule and little quirks. She knew them long before they were dating.

"I've been thinking about what it would be like to live with him." She confessed, breaking the silence. Amy looked at her with a bit of confusion. She didn't understand the idea of cohabitating with another human being. She liked her space and couldn't fathom someone invading it.

"I couldn't imagine what it's like to live with another person. Ricky is enough work and he's only a small primate. Besides, he doesn't talk back to me and sleeps in a cage at night." Amy said with a smirk. She had grown quite attached to her smoking monkey, even if he was only boarding with her for experimental purposes.

Penny pulled up to Amy's building and they sat and chatted for a few more minutes about living with a small monkey versus living with an overgrown six-year old. Amy got out and they said their good byes before she walked into her building.

Penny drove away with Sheldon on her mind. She couldn't believe in a matter of hours she had gone from writing off the possibility of living with Sheldon, to actually drafting a contract in her mind. She raced home to put her thoughts down on paper; she wouldn't let Sheldon write up a crazy contract that only benefitted him.

She got home and rushed to her laptop. She began to draft up her formal request to move in with him. She knew that despite his craziness, they could survive taking it to another level. The only other time she considered moving in with a man was when she was with Kurt. This would be different. Penny's fingers flew across her laptop as she drew up the first provision of the agreement.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sheldon hung up the phone after ordering a car for tonight. He didn't want Penny to have to worry about driving them; he wanted her to fully enjoy what he had planned. She knocked on his front door and entered his apartment. She was wearing her short, but appropriate black dress with a pair of black peep-toe platforms, it added about three extra inches in height to her 5'5" frame.

Her long legs were tanned and perfect. The dress accentuated her toned thighs. She wore a cream belt that was cinched in at her narrow waist. An oversized red leather clutch was tucked underneath her arm. Her hair was down in long flowing curls. Sheldon's heart stopped for a second while he took in how beautiful she looked. She wasn't overly done up, but enough to draw attention to her symmetrical facial features.

Sheldon adjusted his dark red tie. He was wearing the black suit that he had purchased with her when he won the Chancellor's Award for science and a black dress shirt. Penny felt a rush of happiness when she saw that he chose to wear it. She remembered when they bought it and the fantasies that invaded her mind afterward.

"You clean up nice, Dr. Cooper." She said with a cheeky smirk. Not too long ago, he had confessed that he liked when she called him that. His stomach fluttered with butterflies. He was nervous, but didn't let it show. Slowly, he closed the space between them and embraced her. She smelled amazing. He gave her a small squeeze and pulled away.

"You look stunning." He said as he pulled away. He picked her hands up in his and took in the sight before him. She blushed because she had never been truly appreciated like this before. She was often told she looked hot, but Sheldon's sweet words had her falling in love all over again.

Sheldon got a call and their car had arrived. She tucked her arm in the crook of his and they descended the stairs together. He opened the door to the car for her and assisted her into the vehicle. He got in and sat close to her in the backseat. He informed the driver where they were going and captured her hands in his.

She looked into his eyes and they sparkled in the low light. She leaned in and tenderly kissed him. Their tongues touched and gently massaged each other. She loved the way he kissed her. They could feel each other's energies and fed off of them. She felt him brush his fingertips across her cheek. The soft touch made her tremble. His hand moved down and rested on her thigh. He massaged her leg softly with his thumb.

She pulled away from him and smiled. How did she ever get to know the Sheldon Cooper that was sitting in front of her? He made her feel special, like she was more than just a blond bombshell. She felt like she was a goddess and he was there only to truly appreciate her soul.

"I love you." She said. She cupped his cheeks and chastely kissed him on the corner of his mouth. He wasn't smiling but she could see it in his eyes. They looked like they had a fiery passion behind them.

The car arrived at their destination and Sheldon paid the driver. He told him that he would call when they were to be picked up and stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk. He grasped her hand in his and assisted her out of the car. She smoothed out her dress and took the arm that he offered her. She noted how confidently he stood, he seemed to be transforming into the strong, smart man he truly was, rather than the awkward man-child she met such a long time ago.

They entered the concert hall and found their seats. They were sitting in the fourth row, two seats over from the middle. The hall buzzed with people quietly talking to one another. He grasped her hand and held it in his lap. Soon the concert was under way. The lights dimmed and the orchestra started to play.

Penny looked around and noticed all of the people in their semi-formal to formal attire. She had never been to anything like this before and she felt a little under dressed. Sheldon leaned in and kissed her cheek. He pulled away and gave her a reassuring smile. He rubbed the back of her hand and she innocently rubbed his thigh. Penny began to get swept away with the music. She was grateful that he had helped her truly understand all of the different elements that she could appreciate. She loved that she could be moved emotionally by instrumental music.

He watched her as she watched the orchestra. The fact that she was truly enjoying herself was beginning to turn him on. He saw tears well up in her eyes after the first movement. She was breathing steadily and he watched the rise and fall of her chest. Each time she breathed her clavicle would move against the delicate flesh that peeked just above the high neckline of her dress. He felt himself begin to press against the confines of his dress pants. He closed his eyes and let the music invade his ears for a moment.

He opened his eyes and leaned into her hair. She placed her hand on his chest as he kissed her on her cheek close to her ear. She could feel his heart beating fast against her hand. Her intoxicating scent relaxed him and he let it wash over him. He discreetly placed her hand against his growing erection.

"I need you, Penny." He softly whispered into her ear. The feeling of his breath, hot against her skin made her shiver. He resumed watching the orchestra but left her hand in his lap. She felt him twitch under her hand and she unconsciously bit her lip. She couldn't believe what a tease he was being. Her loins started to ache and a smile spread across her lips. Staring straight ahead, she moved a finger along his length. He closed his eyes and resisted the urge to throw his head back.

They watched the rest of the concert discreetly touching and teasing each other. He would whisper suggestive things into her hair and she would give him a look filled with longing. After the concert ended and everyone poured into the streets, they made their way back into the car and snuggled up to one another.

Sheldon was pressed against the door and Penny was practically in his lap. He had to remind her that it was unsafe for her not to be wearing a seat belt in a moving vehicle. She didn't care. She just wanted to satisfy the growing desire inside of her. They got back to their building and hungrily kissed each other against 4A.

He quickly unlocked the door and led her inside. Sheldon scooped her up and she quickly wrapped her legs around him. He pressed her against the door and ground himself into her. She let out a moan into his ear. He tangled his hand into her hair and pulled her to his lips. His nimble fingers worked at the belt that was going to be cumbersome to take care of later.

While they kissed, he moved away from the door and carried her to his bedroom, careful not to stumble over the obstacles in his way. He sat down on the bed with her in his lap. She pushed off his jacket and worked at his tie while he was tugging at her dress' zipper.

"Wait, Sheldon." She said as she tore away from his lips. He didn't stop. His hands tugged her dress off her shoulders and pushed it down her waist. Quickly he found his way to her breast, and he kissed and licked at the swell of her chest.

"Sheldon, are you sure that you're ready?" She asked, genuinely concerned that he may be rushing into things. He unclasped her bra and took her breast into his mouth. He teased and sucked on her hardened nipple. She quickly forgot about her question and buried her head in his neck, sucking on his earlobe. Her fingers worked at his button down shirt.

Sheldon stood up with Penny in his arms and tossed her onto the bed. She hit the mattress with a thud. He looked like a wild animal. He was no longer Sheldon Cooper, science guy, instead he was more like Sheldor the Conqueror, and he was going to take what was rightfully his. He quickly pulled off Penny's dress and tossed it on the floor. He took off the rest of his clothes and knelt on his bed.

Penny's chest was heaving, the man in front of her made her want to submit. She would obey his every command and she was going to let him do whatever he wanted to her. He roughly rubbed her thighs and slid his hands up her legs.

His fingers hooked into her panties and he quickly ripped them off. Her perfect center was glistening with desire. She felt him grab her by the thighs and he pulled her closer to him. He teased her gently with his tip and she felt her body aching for him. She wanted this closeness, this intimacy more than anything. He leaned his body against hers and she could feel him pressing against her entrance.

"For years, I have wanted this Penny. I have never been more certain of anything in my life." He growled. She gasped when she felt him enter her in one smooth thrust. He filled her to the hilt. She felt him in places she didn't even know existed. She stared into his eyes as he took a moment to store everything into his eidetic memory.

He would always remember what it was like to be inside Penny. She was tight, smooth, hot and wet. He could feel her walls throbbing against his member. He began to slowly pull out only to quickly thrust into her hot center again. She let out little moans and closed her eyes.

He rubbed his hand along her thighs as he found a comfortable rhythm. He could feel everything, he could feel the sensations from his throbbing member, he could feel his brain buzzing, he could feel his extremities tingling, and he could feel his teeth vibrating. He ran his tongue along the back of his teeth trying to sooth them.

His breath quickened as he picked up the pace. He leaned in and kissed her. He needed to ground himself or he was going to lose himself in the sensations. She nipped at his lip and dug the heels that he left on into his backside, pulling him deeper inside her. She wanted to feel every inch of him for the rest of her life. She cried out as he thrust deeply into her.

"Penny, I love you. Oh God, I love you." Sheldon cried as he took her earlobe in between his teeth. He could feel the pressure building and he could feel her tightening even more around him. He moved his hand to her clit and rubbed her in quick circles.

She felt her limbs go numb and her toes curl. She came onto him, hard. Her vision began to blur and she couldn't control her primal noises. Sheldon felt her orgasm around him and he lost control. He thrust quickly and deeply until his body shook and he came into her. His brain tingled and he fought to steady his breath. He took a deep breath and removed himself from his spent girlfriend.

He brought a hand up to wipe the sweat from his brow as he collapsed onto the bed. His pulse raced in his throat and he could feel all of the atoms buzzing in his body. Penny worked on steadying her breath. She couldn't believe that she just had the best sex of her life with a virgin. She had never been filled and satisfied like that before. It was like they fed off of each other's desire for one another and became one entity to satiate an unquenchable thirst.

She sat up in Sheldon's bed, quickly realizing she was in his room. No one was supposed to be in his room. She looked down at him. He was laying perfectly still, his eyes closed and his breath coming out steadily. He looked up at her and smiled. Every thought left his brain when he came, it was like his mind was a blank slate.

"Stay with me." He pleaded as he grasped her hand. She nodded. She never wanted to leave.

"I just want to go and wash my face and change into some comfy clothes. I'll be back in like ten minutes." She said. He nodded. He wanted her to stay with him forever. She quickly changed into her dress and grabbed her purse that she let fall to the floor. Opening the flap on her clutch, she reached in and tossed a manila envelope on the bed.

"I'll be back." She said as she left him to recuperate.

**Complaints? Anyone? Reviews are appreciated as always!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Again, than you for the reviews. I know you guys have been waiting for this, so here you go.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 23**

The door to Sheldon's bedroom clicked shut and he was left alone with his thoughts. He couldn't believe that he and Penny just finished engaging in sex. His bedroom smelled musky and sweet, like their scents intermingled when they came together. He felt so many things while he was with her. He was terrified, exhilarated, relieved, aroused, and ecstatic all at one time. She was perfect, but he always knew she would have been.

He looked at the envelope that she dropped off. He sat up and felt the weight of the package as he grasped it in his hands. It wasn't very thick, maybe ten pages filled it. Setting it back on the bed, he got up and changed into his Saturday pajamas. He had again forgone laundry night, but the reward outweighed the responsibility scratching at the back of his mind. His eyes trailed back to the envelope she had left for him. He picked it up and walked out into the living room.

He took the papers out of the envelope and set it on the coffee table. His eyes moved over the black font as he sat in his spot. _'The Cohabitation Agreement'_. His eyes grew wide. She was proposing that they cohabitate? He flipped the cover page unsure of the idea of Penny living with him.

He scanned the document's pages and began reading at the start. The first sentence read: _'Note: This agreement is contingent on the premise that Sheldon agrees to obtain his driver's license'_. He continued to read the proposed agreement. She wanted to be referred to as his girlfriend, not a roommate, she wanted to share a room, but if that was unacceptable, she would move her things into Leonard's old room, she didn't want things to change between them, she wanted sex to occur at regular intervals, when he was ready to take that step with her, and she wanted him to learn to drive and be self-reliant.

He smirked. He thought it was cute that this was the way she was asking to move in. She knew his love for agreements and control over almost every situation. He sighed. He had never considered Penny to be a viable roommate, even though she specified that he not refer to her as such. He couldn't deny that she knew the intricacies of his schedule and food orders. He knew he was comfortable sharing her bed. He wasn't sure that he could live with a female. The last time he did was when he was young, living in his childhood home.

However, he quickly realized that they would be sharing his bed, in his room and his bathroom. He started to panic. It was easier to think about her living with him as a roommate, sleeping in the second bedroom. He sighed. Perhaps they could run an experimental trial.

His front door opened and he set the papers down on top of the envelope. Penny sat down beside him, she was wearing a yellow t-shirt and dark blue sweats. He wrapped his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. She looked down at the papers and smiled. He had obviously read them over, and she was curious to hear what was going through his beautiful mind.

"That was an interesting interpretation of an agreement." He quipped as he looked at her. "I especially liked the section on regular sex." He said with a coy wink. She smiled at him. Her stomach flopped when she thought about the sex that they just had. If it was always that good, she would drive him to the moon if he wanted to go.

"So, does that mean I can stay here on a more.. permanent basis?" She doubtfully asked.

"Well, I have given it some thought and I suppose you could reside here on a temporary basis and we can determine the results after a week of cohabitation." He said giving her a little reassuring squeeze. After all, she had put forth the effort to offer him a formal request.

She grinned into his shoulder as she returned his hug. He flipped on the television and they watched a show about koala bears. Sheldon loved koalas almost as much as he loved Penny.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Leonard moved out and Penny theoretically moved in with her theoretical physicist boyfriend. The week they ran their trial went by quickly. They had minor spats about bathroom times and Penny's clothes being left in the living room. Besides the slight adjustment to being around one another more, they both felt comfortable to move forward with actually moving her in.

She sold some items, such as her couch, on craigslist and kept other things like her bedroom, kitchen and bathroom stuff. She moved her bedroom things into Leonard's old room to make Sheldon more comfortable, but found herself sneaking into Sheldon's room to cuddle with him at night. Some nights they would sleep together until morning, others she would return to her bedroom after some post-sex snuggling. Time passed quickly and after two weeks of officially living together they found that they had altered their routines to suit each other.

Penny sat on the couch reading a gossip magazine and listening to Sheldon's Sunday talk with his mom. He had been talking to her for about ten minutes about what he was up to lately with his work, not that his mother would really understand. The way he spoke with his mother was so endearing. He was like a child, but not. It was also quite hilarious. He told her about how he finally obtained his driver's license and he accidentally let it slip that Penny had moved in.

"No… mom. Listen…" He said into the receiver. He glanced over at Penny and it looked like he wanted her to save him from the conversation he was having.

"Mom, it's not like that." He countered defensively. He sunk back into the cushions and sighed. Penny set the magazine on the table and turned her attention to the one-sided conversation taking place before her. She wondered what his mother was saying. She was probably chastising Sheldon for engaging in pre-marital sex with the harlot across the hall.

"Mom! You're being… Yes… Well, I suppose so." He said as he quickly handed the phone over to Penny. Her eyes looked at the phone and back to him. He raised his eyebrows and pushed the phone into her hands.

"She wants to talk to you." He solemnly said. She wondered if she ran now, could she make it to her old apartment without anyone noticing. She held the phone up to her ear and took in a deep breath.

"Hello?" She hesitantly said. She looked at Sheldon and he smiled at her. She didn't feel reassured.

"Penny, dear, my Shelly tells me that the two of you've gone and shacked up." Mary said in her Texan drawl. Penny's pulse jumped into her throat and she began to feel guilty. She felt like she was a wild cat preying on momma bear Mary's baby cub.

"Mrs. Cooper…" Penny started before she was interrupted.

"Well, are y'all livin' together or not?" She asked a bit more urgently. Penny looked at Sheldon, she wanted him to save her from probably the same conversation he wanted refuge from. He smiled at her, like everything was going to be okay.

"Yes, ma'am, we are" Penny confessed. She was terrified of his mom. She wasn't when she was just the neighbor girl across the hall, but now that they were living together, his mother was quite intimidating.

"I'm gonna give ya a piece of advice, little girl. My Shelly is one of a kind and I won't think twice to come down to Cali-fornia if you hurt my boy. I don't agree with y'all livin' in sin, and I'll be prayin' for the both of ya, but there are worse things in life, and if Shelly's happy, I'm happy. Plus, Jesus will forgive ya if you ask." Mary said in a very motherly tone.

Penny knew Mary loved her son very much and would do anything in her power to keep him safe. Her dad would have probably given Sheldon the same talk, except it would have involved more talk about guns, and less talk about Jesus.

"Yes, ma'am." She said. It was all she could muster. She grabbed hold of Sheldon's hand and lightly squeezed it. She wasn't going anywhere.

"Now, Penny, you can call me Mary." There was a pause and some racket in the background. "Penny, I have to go, there's a possum tryin' to get in the doggy door.. Give my boy a hug for me." They said good bye and Penny hung up the phone.

She handed the phone back to Sheldon and he set it on the cradle. She settled into the couch and he placed his hand on her thigh. He gave her a squeeze and she looked into his face. She couldn't believe she was living with Sheldon Cooper. He was actually pretty easy to live with, even with all of his little quirks.

"I'm pretty sure your mom hates me." She sullenly said. Sheldon opened his mouth and gave her a look that she could only interpret as offended.

"She does not hate you, Penny. She is concerned about my 'soul' being tortured for the rest of eternity in a blazing lake of fire." He assured her. She looked at him skeptically. All mothers hate the girls who steal their babies.

"She wants me to come to Texas for Christmas. I don't want to because my mother gets caught up in her theistic nonsensical traditions, but I would like to see my MeeMaw." He said with a sigh. He really did miss his grandmother. She was the only person he could really count on growing up as a child prodigy.

"That sounds nice! I'm sure you'll have a good time. I haven't really thought about Christmas plans yet. I'll probably stay here and hang out before school starts up again. We'll see, it's still like just over two months away." She said. She got up and headed for the fridge. Sheldon was confused. He thought that she would have assumed she would be going with him. He recalled the way he worded his sentence.

"Penny, I meant that she wants _us_ to go to Texas for Christmas." He said correcting himself. He was so used to talking for himself. It would take some getting used to thinking about them as a "we".

"Oh." She said taking a sip out of her water bottle. She walked slowly back to the couch and sat down. She wasn't sure she was ready to be re-introduced to Sheldon's family as his live-in girlfriend. She had already met his mother and fraternal twin sister, Missy. She always wondered about his grandmother. She seemed very sweet by the stories that Sheldon told her.

"Are you sure, Sweetie? I don't want to intrude." She said. He frowned at her.

"You are not intruding. I wouldn't have accepted your proposal to move in if I thought you were." He said simply. The words he spoke resonated in him. It was serious. He was serious. He couldn't have thought of a better time to move forward in their relationship. When they had their big fight, she was worried that Sheldon couldn't commit to their relationship, but him agreeing to let her move in showed her that he was in for the long haul.

She smiled at him and set her water down on the table. Her legs tucked up under her body as she sunk back into the couch. She picked up her magazine and continued to read the article about Eva Longoria post Desperate Housewives. Her life with Sheldon was taking off and she couldn't wait for what came next.


	24. Chapter 24

**Guess who got an A- on her midterm? That's right, yours truly!**

**Enjoy :)**

**Chapter 24**

Penny was sitting at the desk that Leonard had once claimed, clacking away at her pink Dell Inspiron. She was determined to finish her paper, which was due on Monday, on why e-commerce is the way of the future. Her desk was cluttered with notebooks and multiple drafts of her assignment. She also had little knick knacks that were sprawled across the surface of the desk.

After knocking over her Pucca figurine several times, she began to get frustrated. She picked up her cute little Korean toy and looked around the living room. She decided that since she was now living in 4A, she would fill some of the holes Leonard left behind when he took his collectables. She had already been bringing things into the living room and kitchen to make it more 'their place' rather than just his.

She walked over to the window and noticed that one of Leonard's action figures was missing. Her little figurine had found a home beside Sheldon's Aqua Man action figure. She picked up the small wooden chair and brought it over to the window. She climbed onto it and put her little Pucca on the window sill.

Sheldon walked through the front door with Raj and Howard in tow. The boys had been out shopping for supplies for the Halloween party they were throwing on Friday night. An invite was sent out to Leonard and Priya, they said that they may show up. She said she would have to check her schedule.

The boys hadn't been hanging out with Leonard much these days. It seemed that all of his time was being spent picking out beds in bags at Target, or hard to pronounce furniture at Ikea. Sheldon stopped in his tracks and looked at Penny's addition to his living room.

"Why is your little doll up there with my action figures?" He asked. His face was stern like he had just caught her hand in the cookie jar. She was on the defensive, but didn't want to pick a fight, so she smiled sweetly at him.

"I thought Aqua Man looked a little lonely, so I sent her up there to keep him company." She said playfully. Sheldon tried to hold back the twitch that was plaguing his eye, but failed.

"Penny, I can assure you that Aqua Man does not 'get lonely'." He retorted. She smiled at his discomfort. She wasn't going to back down. It was no longer Sheldon slash Leonard's place; it was now Sheldon AND Penny's place.

"I'm entitled to have my collectables displayed in the living room too. It's not just you who lives here anymore, y'know." She reminded him. She knew that he had trouble with the concept that she had stuff too.

Sheldon looked over at Howard and Raj who just stared blankly back at him. He huffed and put the bag of party decorations he was holding on the coffee table. He sat down in his spot and watched Penny put the chair back beside the armchair. His eyes flicked back to the little figurine she had placed on the window sill.

He had already noticed that her things were finding their way into the living room. She had added a couple of her colorful throw pillows to the couch, a few fictitious novels found their way to the bookshelf and she had things that cluttered her 'disaster desk', as Sheldon had dubbed it. Though he had to admit, her little doll did look kind of cute up there. It would probably catch his eye every time he walked into their apartment and he could think of her. He looked back at his girlfriend who was expectantly looking at him.

"We picked up everything on your list, do you require anything else?" Sheldon asked a little defeated. She walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and patted him on the chest.

"No, thanks Sweetie." She replied as she wandered back to her paper. The guys played a little Xbox while Penny continued to work on her paper. After she finished typing it out, she was coaxed into playing a round of Halo with them before they all started decorating. She was on Raj's team and they obliterated Team Sheldor-Walowizard.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The apartment was transformed into a spooky graveyard. Thanks to Sheldon's crazy attention to detail and his love for everything sci-fi, the place actually looked amazing. He wasn't too keen on the idea of hosting a Halloween party, but Penny convinced him that if he did, he could choose their costumes.

Sheldon decided to go with the theme of zombies. He told Penny that she would dress up as Jill Valentine, from the Resident Evil franchise and that he would dress up as Chris Redford from the same franchise. She agreed, but told him that she wasn't going to wear a wig. He denied her objection as it would distract from the authenticity of the character.

People started to show up, they left the door open just as Penny had for all of her previous parties. She loved the open door policy of people just coming and going, Sheldon didn't, but he loved Penny, so he dealt with it.

Howard and Bernadette arrived, she was dressed up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and Howard was dressed up as Toto. They were actually very cute. Sheldon looked at them and smirked.

"Look at you guys! You look great!" Penny exclaimed as she embraced Bernadette in a quick hug.

"Thanks! So do you guys!" Bernadette replied. The girls walked away together so Penny could introduce Bernadette to some friends from school. The group of four girls from Penny's e-commerce class dressed up as sexy ninja turtles. Sheldon watched as they chatted and Penny poured drinks for the group.

"You know Judy Garland was a brunette, Howard." Sheldon quipped. He was a stickler for authenticity. Howard looked at Sheldon and smirked.

"I don't care if Judy Garland had blue hair, have you seen Bernadette in that dress? I'm lucky I haven't passed out from lack of oxygen to my brain!" Howard retorted with a cheeky grin. Sheldon scowled. There was a reason why Howard was an acquaintance.

"Must you be so crude? Cerebral anoxia isn't something one should joke about." Sheldon spat. He shook his head at his short acquaintance and walked away to monitor the activities that were taking place in his apartment.

He sat down on the couch and snacked on a couple of chips. Raj came in and sat down beside Sheldon. He was dressed up as a lumberjack, complete with fake axe and stick on beard. Sheldon looked at him and was disappointed in his logging equipment. A chainsaw would take less time to take down trees, but loggers use heavy machinery, so to point out the error in Raj's costume would be moot.

"Hey buddy!" Raj exclaimed. He took a long swig out of his peach cooler and looked around the room. "Great party, man! We did an awesome job decorating. It looks so good in here!" Raj continued. Sheldon offered a small smile. He didn't really like parties. There was always too much small talk and it was awkward when he didn't know anyone. There were only a handful of people he knew and the rest were either Penny's school friends or friends of those friends.

"Hmm, yes, I suppose it is." He dryly replied. He looked about the room and Penny caught his attention. She was standing in the hall way looking at him smiling. She coyly motioned with her finger that she wanted him to go to her. He stood up and walked over to her. The music was loud and he could barely hear what she was saying. She grasped his hand and led him into his bedroom.

She stood up on her tip toes and kissed him against the door. His hands found their way to her prefect round ass. She backed away and pulled him toward the bed as she took off her wig and let her blonde curls fall around her shoulders. He felt hot and his ears felt like they were on fire.

She laid down on her back and persuaded him on top of her. His hands pushed up her mini skirt and rubbed along her lacy black underwear. She ran her hands down his chest and teased his hardness through his pants. His breath quickened and he leaned into her neck, gently kissing and sucking on her earlobe. He quickly pulled off his holster filled with fake guns off and set them to the side.

His brain was swimming with arousal. All he wanted was to be buried deep in Penny's wetness. He was also slightly nervous because the living room was packed with people and someone could mistake this room for the bathroom, despite the clearly marked signage. He ground his erection against her center at the thought of being caught and she cried out. The sensation sent electric pulses through her body.

"What about the party?" Sheldon asked as he pulled away from her neck to look into her face. His voice was breathy and soft. His face was flushed and his lips were swollen. His eyes darted across her face and she could see uncertainty behind them.

She smiled at his sudden shyness and bit her lip. She quickly took off his shirts and licked at his nipple. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he let out a low moan. She took his nipple in between her teeth and gently sucked and nibbled at his delicate flesh.

"Fuck 'em" She quietly replied against his chest. She wanted her boyfriend to put out the fire that was slowly burning inside of her. She brought her lips to his and passionately kissed him; her tongue hungrily explored his mouth. He twisted his hands into her hair as he pulled her closer to him. A quiet groan escaped her lips as she scratched her nails lightly down his back.

The door opened and Leonard walked in. They hadn't heard him knocking over the sound of the party and their groans. Leonard's eyes grew wide at the sight of his former roommate and ex-girlfriend pretty much going at it. Penny yelped as she tried to tug down her mini skirt to regain some modesty.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry!" Leonard called out behind him as he quickly shut the door. Penny's heart hammered in her chest. She pressed her head against the mattress and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Sheldon looked into her face, it was filled with disappointment. The mood was gone and he thought he should return to the party to ensure things didn't get out of hand or people didn't break their stuff.

Sheldon grabbed his shirts off of the floor and tugged them back over his head. Penny pulled down her skirt from around her waist and re-adjusted her holster filled with fake guns. They both re-emerged from the bedroom and went back to the party looking slightly flustered. Penny didn't bother with putting the wig back on; she knew that people knew what they were up to.

Sheldon scanned the room and saw Leonard, who was dressed as a judge, talking to Amy, who was dressed as Charlie Chaplin. She was blushing and it looked like he was telling her a joke. Priya interrupted their conversation and looked angry with Leonard. Sheldon watched as Priya, who was dressed in one of her terrible pants suits, practically dragged Leonard out of the party.

Sheldon's gaze found Amy's and he walked toward her. She looked sad, like a child who just dropped her ice cream cone on the hot summer pavement. Sheldon was unsure of the interactions that had just occurred between the three of them so he decided that he would just leave it alone.

"Hi Amy, how is your evening? As a co-host of this party, can I offer you a refill on your beverage or something to soak up the liquor fermenting in the pit of your stomach?" Sheldon inquired. Amy shook her head and smiled. Sheldon offered her a smile back.

"Where did Leonard go? He caught me in a compromising position with Penny earlier and I wanted to give him a strike for barging into my bedroom." Sheldon sheepishly confessed.

"Oh, he and Priya left. She told him that he was being an ass and that she wanted to leave. He objected, but she denied the objection and told him that she would withhold sex from him for the next month." Amy explained. She was actually having a nice conversation with Leonard, despite her finding him tedious at times. He was telling her a funny biology joke and she was going to inquire about his well-being, as they hadn't spoken in quite some time.

Sheldon nodded his head. He missed his friend, he didn't even get to say hello before he was being drug out of the party by his insufferable girlfriend. Sheldon couldn't deny that he was enjoying his current living situation with Penny, but he couldn't help but feel bad for Leonard.

He sighed, told Amy to enjoy the party and left to get a bottle of water. He made his way around, ensuring that his guests were enjoying themselves and cleaning up little messes as they occurred. As the evening died down and the crowd began to dwindle, Penny silently congratulated herself on a job well done and shut down the party for the evening.

Sheldon had a shower and she washed her face. They brushed their teeth and retired to his bedroom. He offered to finish what they had started earlier, but she just wanted to snuggle for a bit and then go to sleep. The apartment was quiet and they easily drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Sheldon sat nervously as Penny stuffed their carry-on luggage into the overhead bin. She let him have the window seat, so he could be in control of whether he looked out of the window or not. She sat down beside him and placed her hand on his thigh. He sighed as he looked out onto the runway. They were on their way to Texas for Thanksgiving instead of Christmas, because Sheldon couldn't deal with the plastic reindeer on the lawn, and his mother's Evangelical beliefs.

"It's okay Sweetie. We'll be in Houston in two and a half hours and then we can pick up the rental car and it will only be another hour of driving to your MeeMaw's." Penny said in a chipper tone. The only flight that was available had a two and a half hour lay over in Houston, and driving to his grandmothers would take less time. She didn't want to deal with sulky Sheldon for the entire flight.

"I know how long it will take to arrive at our destination, I just don't like to fly. I get anxious, and nauseated if I think about it too much." Sheldon said with his head pressed against the window. The coolness of the window against his hot forehead calmed him down a bit. Penny offered a sympathetic smile and a small squeeze.

"Are you worried about plane crashes and stuff like that?" Penny asked. She didn't want to push him too far; he was already way out of his comfort zone. She didn't want to spend the next three days trapped on a train with Sheldon, so she convinced him to fly.

"Penny, I am well aware of the statistics on plane crashes and I can assure you that flying is much safer than driving a car. The probability of us encountering a fatal crash is 1.87% or one in ninety-two million; we are more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident while leaving the parking lot of the car rental company." Sheldon concluded with a sigh.

He was beginning to feel light headed. Penny rubbed his arm and it helped a bit. She decided that she was going to stop talking about that kind of stuff. They sat in silence as they waited for the plane to take off.

Sheldon was taking deep breaths as the flight attendants went through the safety procedures. Penny held his hand, she would have offered him an Ativan, but she knew that he promised his mother that when he moved to California he wouldn't take drugs. The voice of the Captain boomed over the PA system.

"_Flight attendants please prepare for take-off."_

The plane began to pull out and move toward the runway. He felt better with Penny by his side, comforting him. He felt that rush in the pit of his stomach as the plane hurdled down the runway. He closed his eyes as his stomach jumped into his chest while the plane ascended. He hated this part, everything else was alright, but he hated this feeling. He held his breath until the feeling subsided.

The plane stabilized and Sheldon's anxiety went down a couple of notches. He looked at Penny who was smiling at him. She let go of his arm and pulled out her iPad from her purse which was stowed away under the seat in front of her.

"Yahtzee?" She asked as she started up the app. Sheldon nodded he was thankful to have a distraction. They played a couple games and lost track of time. Penny put her game away and told him she was going to have a nap. He decided that it was a good idea as well and settled into his seat. They both drifted off to sleep and soon their flight was over.

Sheldon felt his body being shaken. He was quickly being pulled out of the dream he was having about winning the Nobel Prize, but it was made of chocolate. He was shaken again, three times and he heard Penny say his name. His eyes snapped open when he felt her shake him again. He looked at her and his expression softened. She was imitating his knock. He smiled.

"Sheldon…" Penny said in a sing song voice. "We landed, time to go." She said with a smile. He awkwardly got out of his seat and they got off the plane. Soon, they would be at his MeeMaw's house. Sheldon liked it better than staying in the city with his mom. His MeeMaw lived on the mainland, approximately 30 miles outside of Galveston, where his mom lived. He found his grandmother's property to be more relaxing and he felt like he could be more like himself there.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Sheldon, stay in your lane. I feel like we're going to be hit by oncoming traffic!" Penny chastised. Sheldon had been driving for a couple of months, after obtaining his driver's license as per her Cohabitation Agreement. She was still getting used to being in the passenger seat. She hated not driving, but also enjoyed the idea of not having to.

"Good Lord, woman! Would you just let me drive? I have an IQ of 187 and I think I am quite capable of getting us to our destination safely." He retorted. Having her trying to drive while he was driving was making him uneasy. He just needed silence.

They were getting on each other's nerves, they had spent the last couple hours cramped on a plane and now they were getting irritated with each other in the confines of the car. Penny sighed and looked out the window. He was right. She was tired and was beginning to pick fights for no reason. Sheldon gritted his teeth and took in a deep breath. Most days he didn't mind her challenging him and voicing her opinion, but he was feeling hungry and tired and was getting irritated easily.

"I'm sorry." He said while looking at the road ahead of him. She turned her head and smiled at him.

"Me too." She sincerely replied. He smiled and looked over at her. They drove in silence for the next ten minutes. Sheldon slowed down and turned off onto a dirt road. He drove for about a mile and turned off onto his grandmother's driveway. His MeeMaw was waiting for them on the porch as they pulled up to the house. A huge grin invaded his face when he saw her. He put the car in park and got out. He walked over to the passenger side door and opened it for Penny. He assisted her out of the car and held her hand as they walked over to his MeeMaw.

She was a small woman, nothing at all like Sheldon. Her hair was a dark grey color that caused her blue eyes to sparkle against her slightly tanned skin. She walked up to Sheldon and wrapped her arms around his middle. He hugged her tightly back. Penny was awe stricken. She had never seen Sheldon display that kind of unabashed affection with anyone besides her. He pulled away and bent down to give her a small hiss on her forehead.

"MoonPie! It is so good to see you, darlin'. I've missed you so much!" His MeeMaw said as she patted his cheeks. Penny smiled when Sheldon's face lit up at his grandmother's term of endearment.

"It's good to see you too, MeeMaw." Sheldon said as he held her hand. She looked over at Penny, who was standing around a little awkwardly. She smiled and nudged Sheldon.

"She's pretty, MoonPie. Aren't you going to introduce me?" She said, she had a hand in raising Mary's children and she didn't raise them in a barn. Sheldon moved toward Penny and grabbed her hand. He smiled down at her. His MeeMaw was very astute, Penny was quite pretty.

"MeeMaw, this is Penelope, my girlfriend." Sheldon said adoringly. Penny extended her hand toward his grandmother. She grasped Penny's hand and pulled her into a tight hug. Sheldon grabbed their bags from the trunk and brought them into the house, leaving Penny and MeeMaw hugging in the gravel driveway.

"Penelope, it's so good to meet you! Shelly has told me lots about you." MeeMaw said as she pulled away from their hug. Penny blushed, she knew that they always wrote each other letters, she remembered reading them while 'looking' for his flash drive.

"It's just Penny, and it is wonderful to meet you Mrs…" Penny said slightly embarrassed as she realized she didn't know his grandmother's last name.

"Oh please, it's just MeeMaw, darlin'." MeeMaw said with a chuckle. She took Penny by the arm and led her into the house. Sheldon was sitting in the living room drinking lemonade and watching the Texas Longhorns game while he waited for the ladies to come into the house.

Penny looked him over and noticed how his whole demeanor changed. He was sitting with his feet propped up on the coffee table, his arm was draped over the back of the couch and he had sunk into the couch cushions. MeeMaw sat down in an armchair that faced the couch and motioned for her to sit down. She stared at Sheldon a moment longer and his eyes met hers. He gave her a puzzled look.

"What?" He defensively asked. She smiled and sat down beside him. She innocently patted his knee and sunk into the comfortable red couch.

"Nothing, Sweetie." She said. He placed his arm around her and pulled her in a little closer. Meemaw beamed at the couple canoodling on the couch. She was so proud of Sheldon.

"So, SweetPea, Shelly tells me that you're a student. He told me that he's real proud of you." MeeMaw said with adoration. Penny blushed. What else did he tell his grandmother?

"Oh, yeah. I'm working toward a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Marketing." Penny said with a small smile. She wouldn't be a doctor like MoonPie, but it felt good to know that he was proud of her.

Sheldon decided to take a shower and Penny chatted with MeeMaw while she started fixing dinner for the three of them. She brought out photo albums for Penny to look through while they talked about Sheldon the child prodigy.

The front door swung open and a tall, broad man walked in. He was wearing a Longhorns cap, a green plaid shirt and faded blue jeans. He looked around the room and his eyes settled on Penny. He made eyes at her and then turned his attention toward MeeMaw.

"Hey MeeMaw, where's Shelly at?" The man said. MeeMaw walked up to him and gave him a quick hug.

"He's freshenin' up, Georgie. Are you stayin' for dinner?" MeeMaw asked. He shook his head.

"I was just passin' through, me and the boys are goin' fishin' tonight. I just wanted to stop in and say hello." He looked at Penny again and extended his hand to her. Penny grasped his rough callused hand.

"I'm Shelly's brother, Georgie." He said as she let go of his hand. She smiled. Now that she knew he was his brother she could see some resemblance. It was the eyes, piercing blue just like his brother and grandmother.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Penny, Sheldon's girlfriend." She said confidently. His brother chuckled.

"Well, I'll be. I thought that sonofabitch was lyin' his face off when he said that he got himself a girlfriend." He said as he clapped his hand against his thigh.

"Georgie, language!" MeeMaw snapped. He frowned at her and quickly apologized. He excused himself to go find Sheldon. Penny looked at MeeMaw and smiled. She felt at home here. There was a bang upstairs and Sheldon let out a little shriek.

"Get outta here, Georgie! Seriously!" He cried as a door upstairs slammed closed. His accent was thicker and more pronounced around his family.

Georgie ran down the stairs and quickly waved at the girls before running out the door, leaping into his truck and taking off down the driveway. Sheldon came downstairs rubbing at his chest with a frown on his face. He sat down at the kitchen table and his MeeMaw gave him a small squeeze.

"That man is thirty-six years old and he still insists on giving me a diddy nip." Sheldon complained to his grandmother. She rubbed his arm and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. The three of them ate dinner and then settled in the living room looking at more family pictures. The evening passed quickly and soon they were all saying goodnight and retiring for the evening. Sheldon also liked that his grandmother wasn't as religious as his mother, which meant that he could share a bed with Penny.

They laid together on the soft mattress in the dark. His hand found hers and he rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand. She looked over at him and he smiled at her. He brought up her hand and gave her a chaste kiss on the heel of her palm. She grinned as he pressed his lips against her skin. She loved it when he kissed her there, it wasn't often that he did it, but when he did she felt special. No one had ever purposefully kissed her there before.

"I love you, Penny." Sheldon said still holding her hand. She squeezed his fingers.

"I love you too, MoonPie." She cheekily replied.

"Penny.." He started. She rolled her eyes, she knew that only MeeMaw called him that. She thought it was adorable that his grandmother started calling her SweetPea.

"Thank you for coming with me. I can't even begin to tell you how much this means to me that you're here." He finished. She snuggled up to him and fell asleep on his chest. He gently played with her hair as he listened to the crickets chirping in the night.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Penny spent the entire day with Sheldon's MeeMaw, mother and sister preparing Thanksgiving dinner at Sheldon's mom's house. Sheldon spent some time with his brother; they were out and about all day. For the most part he and Georgie got along, except when he was drinking. They often got into fights and Sheldon usually ended up surrendering to his older brother.

Sheldon and Georgie were back at his MeeMaw's house, sitting under a big oak tree at the edge of her property. Sheldon often came here as a child to get away from everyone who didn't have the capacity to understand him.

"So tell me more about your girl there, Shelly." Georgie said as he pulled his cap off and wiped the sweat off his brow. Sheldon looked over at his brother and sighed. He didn't understand why people were so interested in his personal life.

"What do you want to know? There are lots of things I could tell you, but some of those things would be irrelevant to you. For example, Penny always paints her finger and toe nails in monochromatic color schemes, usually blues or pinks." Sheldon said not really satisfying his brother's curiosity.

"You know what I mean, Shelly." Georgie said with an exasperated sigh. "Fine, how did you meet her?" He concluded. Sheldon made it hard for people to break down his walls.

"Well, she moved into the apartment across the hall and my former roommate invited her over to our place for Indian food, without any regard to my aversion to unexpected company." Sheldon said. He sighed when he recalled that encounter.

"She was wearing a blue t-shirt with a purple flower pattern and denim shorts. Her hair was a bit shorter, but it was styled in a pleasing way. She was also wearing those atrocious Australian sheepskin boots. She completely invaded my life and she was like no one I had ever met before." He finished. He recalled when she came over to his place, they had a connection. He had felt it; it was like she had always been drawn to him. His board, his spot, him. He decided to ignore and suppress his feelings when Leonard made it known that he was into her.

"I still think it's crazy how you can just remember all that stuff. You two seem like you are similar." Georgie said. Sheldon looked at him with a puzzled expression. His brother had just suggested that they were similar?

"On the contrary, her personality is the exact opposite of mine. She is extroverted, spontaneous, outgoing, very well versed in social situations, and empathetic. Everything that I lack, she is there to make up for and vis a vis. I wouldn't say that we are similar, but that's the reason why it works." Sheldon explained.

"She does have some hokum beliefs though. Like astrology, I don't understand how one can participate in the mass cultural delusion that the Sun's apparent position relative to arbitrarily defined constellations at the time of one's birth somehow affects one's personality. I guess it's a good thing that I'm so logical and scientifically driven." He said with a small smirk.

Sheldon's phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out and checked his messages. Penny sent him a text.

_'Plz come back! I'm being bombarded with q's about marriage! SOS!' _Sheldon sighed and stuffed his phone back into his pocket. He sat up and climbed out from under the tree.

"C'mon, we gotta go Georgie." Sheldon said as he walked toward his brother's truck. His brother followed behind him and they drove off toward their mom's house.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Penny was making a pecan pie with Missy when Sheldon walked in. She smiled at him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. His family watched quietly, they didn't want to scare off baby deer Shelly.

"Shelly, why didn't you start datin' this wonderful girl years ago?" Missy asked while popping the pie into the oven.

"Now, now Missy. Good things come to those who wait." MeeMaw interrupted. She was quite happy with the girl that Sheldon chose to bring home to his family.

Penny washed her hands and sat with Sheldon on the couch in his mom's living room. She was careful not to snuggle too close, as she knew that Mary would want them to leave room for the Holy Spirit. They watched a movie that was playing on television and he would give her chaste kisses on the commercial break.

Soon dinner was ready and the family welcomed Penny into their Thanksgiving traditions. They went around the table stating what they were thankful for, and then Mary started the meal by saying Grace.

"By his hand we are all _fed_, give us Lord our daily _bread_, please know that we are truly _grateful_, for every cup and every _plate full_. Amen!" Mary finished.

The group at the table passed around the food and filled up their plates. They laughed and talked while Georgie drank. Sheldon watched him as he finished off his fifth bourbon. Sheldon scowled at his brother, he hated to see him as a spitting image of his father. He pushed around the pecan pie on his plate as Georgie made an ass of himself.

"I still can't buh-leive that little Shelly bagged himself such a good lookin' girl! I thought for sure that you were into dudes or somethin'." He practically hollered at the table. Sheldon gripped his fork a little tighter and the corner of his mouth began to twitch. Not only was his brother embarrassing himself, he was also embarrassing Sheldon.

"Seriously, darlin'! You're a firecracker!" He continued, looking straight at Penny. Penny was offended but didn't let it show. She got worse from the men who drank too much at her work. Sheldon tried to contain the anger that was brewing inside of him, but couldn't.

"That's enough. You've had too much to drink." Sheldon sternly said into his plate of deconstructed pie. His brother stood up and looked down at Sheldon.

"What are you gonna do about it, Shelly? Huh? You wanna go round and round like we did when we was kids?" His brother said, he slurred his words and gripped at the edge of the table. Sheldon looked from his plate into his brother's eyes. He slammed his palms on the table and quickly stood up. Everyone fell silent.

"You're a grown man! When are you going to start acting like it? You're just like him, drinking your way into a shallow grave! You know that right? What's worse, George, is you can't confront someone without a dose of your liquid courage. Are you going to hit me like he did after five or six bourbons? You're just as pathetic as he was." Sheldon shouted at his brother. Sheldon was the only one that his father struck when he had too much to drink. His father always resented him for being a genius. He looked down at Penny and took her hand in his.

"Shelly, wait." His mother said. She looked over at George Jr. and frowned. George's face was flushed with embarrassment and rage, his mouth was open with shock.

"Georgie, apologize to your brother." Mary sternly said as she threw her napkin onto the table.

"We'll be at MeeMaw's." Sheldon said to his mother as he assisted Penny out of the chair she was sitting in. He stared down his brother as they left the house.

They got into the rental car, Sheldon turned on the ignition and he peeled out of his mom's driveway. They drove in silence through the city. Sheldon was so angry with his brother. His whole body was buzzing from the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. He almost hit him, square in the jaw. He gritted his teeth as he replayed the fight in his head.

MeeMaw taught him better than to fight with his fists though. He knew that it wasn't proper and the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint his grandmother. They were still driving in silence on the highway toward his MeeMaw's, the hum of the engine was the only noise in the car.

"I'm sorry Penny." Sheldon quickly said. He didn't even want to know what she was thinking. He was utterly humiliated. She looked over at him and his face was expressionless. She was so proud of him. She recalled when Sheldon went with Leonard to retrieve her television from Kurt after they broke up. The way he was then versus the way he was at his mom's house was like two totally different people.

"Sheldon, Sweetie, it's ok. Families aren't perfect. I'm very proud of you. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to people like that." She said with adoration. They continued to drive in silence. Sheldon was starting to calm down. He felt bad that he just left like that, but if he didn't he would have gotten into a physical altercation and he really didn't want that.

They pulled up to MeeMaw's house and Penny began to walk up the stairs into the house. Sheldon quickly grasped her hand to stop her. She turned around and he gently coaxed her toward him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tenderly kissed her. He pulled away and grabbed a tote bag off the porch.

"I want to show you something." He quickly said. The sun was setting and it was getting dark. She looked into his eyes and they looked mischievous. He grinned at her as he took her hand and walked toward the back of the house. They walked down a pathway through the brush. Penny felt excited, she knew Sheldon hated surprises and spontaneity, so she knew it had to be something worth seeing.

They walked for a short distance and came up to some large rocks. Sheldon set his bag down and started taking his clothes off. Penny stared at him with wide eyes. Did his brother actually punch him and now Sheldon had a concussion? He looked at her and gave her a cheeky grin. He disappeared off the rock into a clear deep stream about two feet below.

Penny walked over to the edge and peered into the water. Was Sheldon swimming? She smiled down at him as he brushed his short hair off his forehead. He would often escape to the creek behind his MeeMaw's when he had enough of his father trying to teach him how to be a "man".

"Penny, why are you still standing around, come over here." He called to her. She just watched him. Texas Sheldon was so different than California Sheldon. He was more relaxed and showed her a new side of himself.

She smiled and teasingly took off her shirt. She tossed it aside with his clothes. Her fingers skillfully unbuttoned her jeans and she shimmied them down her hips. She quickly took off the rest of her clothes and got into the cold water. The temperature of the water sent a shock through her body. Her teeth chattered as she made her way to her skinny dipping boyfriend.

"I t-thought you c-couldn't sw-swim." She said through her clacking teeth. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his body against hers.

"I told Leonard that I couldn't swim in the _ocean_, to avoid any unnecessary trips to the beach. I don't want to get stung by jelly-fish and have to have someone urinate on me. I suppose he took what I said and applied it to all bodies of water." He said through a scowl. She smiled. He was so sneaky. Knowing how to swim, watching football and standing up to his brother, who was this man?

They splashed around in the water for a bit, before Penny started to get cold. He got out and pulled two towels from the bag he took with him. He quickly wrapped her in her soft towel before doing the same for himself. She pressed up against him and he wrapped his arms around her. She buried her head into his chest and trailed her finger along his clavicle.

"I know a way we could warm up." She said seductively. He looked down at her and smiled, she moved her hand from his collar bone down to his chest hair.

He thought about it for a moment and the idea of having sex outside was terrifying. Though it was terrifying it was also exhilarating and he felt himself growing harder against her stomach. She felt it too and brought up her lips to his. He let his hands fall to her ass. His thumbs trailed along her delicate curves.

She pulled off her towel and set it down on the rock behind him. She gently pushed him down and straddled his lap. She brought her lips back to his and they kissed each other softly. He pushed her hair to the side and kissed down her throat. His lips found her collar bone and he gently nipped and sucked at it.

She let out a soft sigh as she trailed her hands down his chest, to his hardness. She gently gripped him and rubbed him against her slick folds. She gasped and her eyes found his. They stared into each other's eyes as she gently pushed him inside of her. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back as she worked herself along his length. A groan escaped his lips when she ground herself into him.

He opened his eyes and looked up into the night, the stars were bright against the blue-black sky. The moonlight illuminated all of her curves in all the right places. She wrapped her arms around his neck and coaxed him into another sweet, tender kiss. He placed his hands on her hips and pushed her down harder onto himself.

His hands trailed up her sides, causing her to shiver, and rested on her breasts. He gently tweaked and pulled on her nipples and she sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. His mouth found its way to Penny's pierced nipple. The metal clacked against his teeth when he sucked on it.

The breeze was cool against their burning flesh. The air smelled sweet and the stream bubbled in the background. Sheldon let out a few raspy breaths, he was on the brink of orgasm and needed something to get him over the edge. He brought his lips to her ear and licked along her soft earlobe.

"I want you to talk dirty to me." He whispered into her ear. Just saying those words made his stomach flop. She gasped and ground herself harder into his lap. She quickly turned herself around so she was facing forward. He buried himself into her hot wetness and grasped and teased at her nipple from behind. Sheldon placed his other hand on her abdomen to steady her.

"Dr. Cooper, I've been a bad girl. I need you to teach me a lesson." She cooed. Sheldon bit his bottom lip and he felt his extremities tingling. He moaned into her hair and rubbed his hand down her stomach, onto her soft mound and along her slick folds. His fingertips brushed against himself as he rhythmically disappeared into her.

"Tell me what you want, naughty girl." He growled. His vision was starting to blur and his mouth was dry.

"I want you to spank me, like a bad girl, Doctor." She coyly replied. He didn't even know what was happening before his body started to respond. He stood up and turned her around so he was taking her from behind. He raised his hand and gently tapped it against her ass. She craned her neck around to look at his expression. He looked like he was ready to explode.

"Harder." She demanded. He spanked her harder as he slammed his length into her. She cried out and he grasped a fist full of her hair. He gently tugged on it, causing her to arch her back. She steadied herself with one hand on the rock and played with her sensitive button with the other.

"Oh God Sheldon. Cum for me. Please." She pleaded. Sheldon felt his body respond by emptying his seed into her. He felt the familiar vibrations in his teeth. He cried out and held her in place for a second.

He could feel her climaxing around his spent member. He wiped at his face and gave her another soft tap on the behind before removing himself from her. She stood up and turned around. She gave him a quick hug before pulling her clothes back on. He got dressed and put the wet towels back in the bag. They walked silently hand in hand back to the house. Penny walked up the steps to the front door and she quickly spun around.

"That was so hot, Sheldon. I don't even-" Penny began before Sheldon interrupted.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." He said with a look of satisfaction. He loved making her feel that way. He took her hand and walked up the stairs of the porch and into the house with her.


	27. Chapter 27

**You are all a bunch of wonderful readers! Thank you for all of your kind words throughout this story. I'm probably going to write about 6 more chapters and then depending on the response I receive, maybe more. I'm not sure. Anyways... :)**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 27**

Sheldon and Penny walked into his MeeMaw's living room and she was waiting for them on the couch knitting a blanket. Penny felt anxious when her eyes met his grandmother's. She wasn't sure if she was mad that they had left dinner together and were just getting back now. How long was she waiting for them?

"MoonPie, I don't blame you for getting' upset tonight. I'm proud that you used your words, baby." She said as she patted the seat next to her. He sat down and laid his head on her shoulder.

"SweetPea, I'm sorry that you had to witness that. Georgie was outta line." She said to Penny as she sat in the armchair.

"MeeMaw, it's alright." Penny said. She watched MeeMaw's nimble fingers work at knitting her quilt. MeeMaw turned to Sheldon and put her needles down in her lap. She patted his arm and sighed.

"Your momma said to tell you that she loves you and that she's real glad that you brought Penny down to meet us." She told him. Penny smiled. She felt accepted into Sheldon's family and it felt great. MeeMaw got up and put her knitting away. She shuffled toward her bedroom which was just off the kitchen.

"You kids don't stay up too late, you got an early flight in the morning." MeeMaw said while winking at Penny. Penny was pretty sure Sheldon's grandmother was a psychic or a mind reader or both. Did she know what they were up to? Penny felt a bit guilty.

Sheldon and Penny retired upstairs. They both showered, separately and climbed into bed. Their flight left the Galveston airport at 10:00 am, so they needed to be up early. Penny was still a little troubled at Sheldon's confession earlier in the evening.

"Shel?" she asked out into the silent air. She felt him shuffle around in the crisp linen sheets.

"Yeah?" he answered. She could hear his steady breathing.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that as a kid." she said apologetically. He inhaled deeply and grasped her hand.

"Penny, you shouldn't feel obligated to apologize for someone else's poor judgement." he said. She squeezed his hand as tears stung her eyes. She could just imagine Sheldon as a child being "too smart" for his own good.

"I know, but I am." she said quietly. She didn't want to cry.

He turned into her and pulled her close to him. He held her tight and breathed in the calming scent that he came to know and love. They snuggled in the sheets and they fell asleep.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Penny woke up at 7:30 am. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and she could smell pancakes cooking downstairs. She quickly got dressed, packed up the rest of her things and took her suitcase downstairs.

She walked toward the kitchen and heard Sheldon laughing. It wasn't one of his gaspy laughs it was a real, full belly laugh. She smiled as she walked into the kitchen. Her eyes scanned the room and she saw coffee on the counter.

She grabbed a plate of pancakes and a cup of coffee and sat down with Sheldon and MeeMaw. She ate in silence and listened to the two of them chatting. He was so different with his grandmother. He was patient and if she wasn't sure of what he was saying, he would explain it to her.

Penny finished her breakfast and rinsed her dishes in the sink. Sheldon grabbed their bags and put them in the trunk of the rental car. MeeMaw and Penny walked out onto the porch. MeeMaw wrapped her arms around the slightly taller blond and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You take care of my MoonPie, Penny. You're good for him and I know that you mean the world to him." She said. She pulled her into another quick hug. Penny felt tears sting the back of her eyes.

Sheldon walked up to his grandmother and gave her a tight squeeze. He was going to miss her. His MeeMaw pulled away and held his hand.

"You hold onto that girl Shelly. She's somethin' real special and if she doesn't come back, you and I are gonna exchange some words." She said letting go of his hand.

"Yes, MeeMaw." Sheldon obediently replied. He could never say no to his grandmother.

They finished saying their goodbyes and Sheldon and Penny were back on their way to California.

oOoOoOoOoOo

The trip back to Pasadena seemed shorter than the trip to Galveston. After arriving at their apartment, they settled back into their routine. Sheldon was back at work and he had just returned to his and Raj's office after eating lunch with everyone. He started checking his afternoon email when one of them caught his eye.

He felt the urge to open it right away, but he always opened his emails in the order they came in. He quickly disregarded the emails he opened; he was simply opening them because it was the way he had always done it. His finger hovered over the track pad of his laptop and he took in a deep breath.

The email was from the university offering him a spot on the next trip to Switzerland to go to the Large Hadron Collider. The university received a letter of recommendation from the office of Stephen Hawking.

Sheldon stopped reading the email and let it register in his brain that he was going to go to Switzerland. A smile spread across his lips and his heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't believe it.

Even though he had a mistake in his findings, he was still getting a letter of recommendation from Stephen Hawking. He continued to read the email and the group from the university was leaving in a week.

Sheldon felt motivated and got lost in his work. He decided to continue his research at home, so he packed up and left. He arrived at his apartment and was soon immersed in his theories. He was scratching down formulas on every white board he owned. He needed to conclude his Higgs Boson theory before he left for Switzerland.

Penny walked into the apartment after her Tuesday night shift at the Cheesecake Factory. The place was a mess. She looked around and saw Sheldon coming out of the bathroom. His hair was all over the place and he looked wired. He quickly went back to what he was doing before he had to inconveniently void his bladder.

"Whatcha doin'?" Penny asked in a singsong voice. He was sifting through marbles in a laundry basket. He looked up at his girlfriend. He didn't even notice her walk in.

"I'm attempting to perceive these marbles as quarks moving inside an atom." He stated simply. She moved around all of his stuff and sat on the arm of the sofa. She looked around, the last time he was like this he was up for three days and then figured out his problem by breaking dishes at her work.

"Sweetie, maybe you should take a break. You didn't come into the restaurant for dinner. Are you hungry, I can make you something." She said, concerned for her Whack-A-Doodle.

"I don't have time to have a break. I need answers. I was invited to the Large Hadron Collider and my colleagues and I are leaving next week to Switzerland." He said while shaking the marbles in the laundry basket. Penny gasped. She couldn't believe that Sheldon was given this great opportunity.

"Sheldon! That's wonderful, I'm so happy for you!" She cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her back but quickly pulled away.

"Can I help you with anything?" She asked searching his worn out face. He thought about her offer as his stomach grumbled. He sighed. He probably should eat something.

"Can you make me some soup?" He asked, full of relief. He was glad that it wasn't only him. He was glad that he had someone in his life to look after him and make sure he was taking care of himself. It was easy to get lost in his work and he was grateful that he had Penny to ground him.

Penny got up and tip toed around Sheldon's work mess. He was still swishing around marbles in the laundry basket and writing down things onto his white board every so often. Penny made him his soup and cleaned up the kitchen. She played on her laptop while Sheldon was muttering to himself. He had abandoned the laundry basket and moved onto writing down variations of formulas he had already written.

"Don't stay up too late, Sweetie. I'm going to head to bed." She said stifling a yawn. She made her way to their bedroom and left Sheldon to work on his science.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Penny woke up and stretched on the mattress. She looked over to Sheldon's side and noticed he didn't come to bed last night. She got up and threw on her robe and padded out to the living room. Sheldon was peering through his fingers at his whiteboards. Penny made herself a pot of coffee. It seemed as though she was going to need it.

"Shel, have you been up all night?" She asked, concern coloring her voice. She took a sip of her coffee and leaned against the island. Sheldon looked at her through his fingers like he was looking at one of his formulas.

"Is it morning?" He quickly asked.

"Yes." She replied as she fixed herself a bowl of cereal.

"Then I've been up all night." He replied, surprised that he stayed up all night.

"Shel, you have to go to work. Are you going to be okay?" She asked. She didn't want to get a mid-day phone call from the university asking her to take home her frazzled boyfriend.

"I'm staying home today, I still need answers." He stated as he turned his attention back to his white board. Penny finished her coffee and ate her cereal as she watched him. He looked certifiably crazy.

"Okay, well don't over think it. Sometimes the simplest explanations are the right ones. Oh, and don't forget to eat." She said as she made her way to the bathroom. She had to get ready for school; she only had a few more weeks left of the semester.

"Penny, I know what Occam's Razor is." He said in a slightly condescending tone. She looked back at him. He was still working away, not even looking at her when he spoke.

"Orca's what? Sheldon, just don't over think it." Penny replied. Sheldon looked over to her and smiled. He motioned for her to continue on her way. She was smarter than she knew.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sheldon worked frantically over the next week and before he knew it he was packing his bag for Switzerland. This trip was going to be quite the disruption to his schedule, but it was what he was preparing all of his life for. He stood in his living room, waiting for Penny to drive him to the airport.

She ran around the apartment making sure that he had everything on his list, even though he had already double checked it himself. He stopped her in her tracks and pulled her into his embrace. She needed to calm down because she was making him nervous.

"I'm going to miss you Shel." She said, a tear escaping her. She sniffled and looked up at him. He chuckled at her. She was being such a sap. He rubbed her arm and grabbed his suitcase.

They drove to the airport. The only noise in Penny's car was the sound of the radio. She had it on an alternative rock station and Sheldon was more familiar with the material thanks to playing Rock Band with the guys.

She pulled up to departures and put the car in park. She turned to Sheldon and pulled him into a tight hug. What was she supposed to do without him?

"I wish I could go with you." She quietly confessed as she pulled away from his embrace. He half smiled at her. He wished she could go to. He would love to have someone he could actually tolerate by his side.

"I wish you could too, but school is much more important than a vacation to Switzerland." He logically reminded her. She sighed. He was going to be gone for two months. It was such a long time. It wasn't as long as when the boys went to the North Pole, but still.

"I'll be back at the end of January. We'll talk every day, whether it be text, skype, or face time. It will work out; I'll be nine hours ahead of you, so when you go to bed I'll be getting up. You'll see, it will be fine." He said as he grasped her hands in his. She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss. She didn't want him to go. Sheldon pulled away and opened his door and got out of the car. Her trunk opened and he grabbed his suitcase. He walked back to the passenger side door and leaned in.

"I love you SweetPea." He said sweetly. A tear fell onto her cheek.

"I love you too, MoonPie." She said with a small smile. He closed her door and she watched him walk into the airport. She sat in her car and cried for a little bit. She was going to miss him so much. She wiped her eyes and let out a deep breath. She put her car in drive and she made her way back to their apartment.


	28. Chapter 28

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 28**

Two weeks had passed since Sheldon left for Switzerland. He was right; it was easier than Penny thought it would be. They would text, skype or face time every day, some days Sheldon would send off a quick text because he was so busy with work, other times they would end up talking for an hour, not really saying much at all, but just being "with" each other.

Penny was sitting on the couch in Sheldon's spot with her laptop sitting on her lap. Her laptop chimed because Sheldon was calling on skype. She clicked on the call and he popped up onto her screen. He was so cute, his hair was a bit longer than usual and he always looked bright and cheery in the morning, or for her, before bed.

She was wearing a green tank top and a pair of purple flannel pajama bottoms; he was wearing his yellow Hawkeye t-shirt with a light grey thermal underneath. He was brushing the hair, which he claimed to be too long, "out of his eyes".

"Penny, you're in my spot." He chastised. She glared into the webcam and slid over to the middle cushion. It was like he never really left.

"Happy?" She sarcastically asked. He smirked.

"I'm not _un_happy." He replied. She sighed, she couldn't be angry with him, he was just being him.

"So what's new, cockatoo?" She wittily asked. She smiled at her own rhyme. He glanced at his watch. He smiled at her.

"Well, I am almost certain that I'm on the right track to finding the elusive Higgs Boson particle. I have complete confidence that by the time I leave, the universe will be thanking me." He said smugly. She smiled. She knew that he had every right to be smug, he was one of the smartest men on the freaking planet!

"I have no doubts, Sweetie." She replied. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Sheldon got a text on his phone. He pulled out his phone and read the text.

"Penny, it appears that Leonard is on his way over to our apartment. He claims that he needs someone to talk to. Obviously, I can't talk to him, as I'm not there and I would likely have no insight into the issues that he is facing, assuming he is being plagued with personal problems." Sheldon said. There was a knock at his door. He glanced over his shoulder and back to Penny.

"I have to go. When Leonard gets there, can you offer him a hot beverage and then send him on his way?" He asked. She knew the protocol. She smiled at him and blew a kiss at the monitor.

"Have a good day, Sweetie." She said. He smiled and nodded.

"Sleep well." He simply said after giving her a small wave.

They signed off and Penny set her laptop onto the coffee table. She got up and moved into the kitchen and started to boil some water in the kettle on the stove. Leonard would be there soon and she wanted to get him out as soon as possible, she had school in the morning and needed all the sleep she could get.

There was a knock on the front door. Penny moved from the kitchen to the door and opened it. He was right on time, the kettle whistled in the background. She moved aside and motioned for him to come in. He looked around, he hadn't been in his old apartment since he had made a brief appearance at their party. It looked the same but different. It had hints of Penny peppered all over the place.

"Hey, Penny. Where's Sheldon?" Leonard quickly asked as he sat down on the middle cushion of the couch. She closed the door and stared at him. He was kidding right? He had to know that Sheldon wasn't here; he was halfway across the globe.

"Leonard, Sheldon is in Switzerland." She said while moving into the kitchen to prepare their tea. Leonard took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. How could he forget? He had been really busy at work the past two weeks. Sheldon mentioned that he was going and Leonard completely forgot.

"Penny, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I totally forgot that Sheldon wasn't here." He said getting up off the couch. Penny motioned for him to sit.

"Leonard, we're still friends, you can talk to me. What brings you here at this late hour?" she asked offering him his drink. He took it and settled in on the couch. He let out a sigh and looked at Penny as she settled into Sheldon's spot.

"Priya and I broke up. She kicked me out. I didn't know where else to go." He sadly stated. He took off his glasses and rubbed the tears that stung his eyes. Penny patted his arm. She wasn't sure what to say.

"There there." She quietly said. Leonard smiled, it was nice that she was imitating his friend.

"She cheated on me. Again. With the same guy." Leonard said. He thought that they were over that stuff. He sighed and leaned into the sofa. He took a sip of the hot tea that Penny made for him.

"That sucks, Leonard. You can stay here if you like. I know how hard it is to find an apartment in Pasadena. I'm sure Sheldon won't mind." She offered. It might be a little weird temporarily living with her ex-boyfriend turned friend, in his old apartment, which she now shared with his best friend and former roommate, but she could make it work.

"Thanks Penny." Leonard quietly said into his mug. She smiled and got up off of the couch and walked toward Sheldon's desk. She pulled out a document and a pen and brought them over to Leonard. Leonard looked up at her quizzically. She set the temporary guest agreement and the pen on the coffee table and sat back down on the couch.

"Seriously?" Leonard whined. He looked at Penny. She had a serious expression on her face. She nudged the temporary agreement toward him.

"I can assure you that I am very serious." She stated. Leonard huffed as he signed the temporary guest agreement. Penny picked up the paper and set it on Sheldon's desk, she would have to scan and email the agreement to Sheldon within the next twenty-four hours to be notarized. Leonard looked at her and was surprised at how much Sheldon was rubbing off on her. She was even wearing flannel pajama bottoms.

"You can stay in the guest room, which is your old bedroom. I have to turn in, I'm not going to give you the big spiel, you know where everything is and you know the policies and procedures governing this apartment." She said as she got up off the couch, standing with her hands behind her back. Leonard chuckled to himself. She was like a little Shel-bot sent out to destroy John Connor.

Penny turned on her heel and walked toward her bedroom. Leonard was left with his thoughts in the living room. He couldn't believe that he used to live here. It was like he stepped into a bizzaro world, an alternate universe, everything was opposite of where it had started. He looked around the room and noticed the bright splashes of color here and there, it contrasted well to Sheldon's neutral color pallet.

He got stood up, locked the front door and made his way to his old room. He walked in and was surprised by what he saw. He had expected to see Penny's things cluttered in the room, but instead he found the room was done up in neutral colors and there was no trace of Penny in sight. It truly was a guest room. He settled into the bed and let sleep invade his overactive brain.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Leonard had a hard time searching for apartments, people generally didn't move around this time of year. People were busy with holidays and things like that. Penny completed her finals and registered for next semester's courses. She was surprised by how fast time was flying by. Sheldon would be home in about a month and his work was going well in Switzerland.

Howard and Bernadette had been married for nearly nine months by the time Christmas rolled around. They invited Amy, Leonard, Penny and Raj over to their place for Chrismukkah dinner. Sheldon insisted that he be included through skype. He didn't want to spend Christmas with the yahoos that he worked with.

Raj had brought over a date, they had been seeing each other for about a month. His name was Andrew and he was a professor in the Psychology department. Raj had met him when he started to see his shrink. It turned out that he didn't really have women issues at all. Raj finally felt like himself and he was able to speak to women without the aid of alcohol.

Christmas flew by and soon it was New Year's Eve. Penny spent the day decorating the apartment in a silver and blue theme, she purchased champagne to drink and cute party hats for everyone to wear. She invited only her closest friends, Amy, Bernadette, Howard, Leonard, Raj and Raj's boyfriend.

The music was moderately loud and everyone was chatting, drinking and dancing. Penny flopped on the armchair after dancing with Amy. Penny wasn't too drunk but she could see Amy's face was flushed and her speech was slurred.

"Penny! You're my Bestie and you're wonderful. It's no wonder why everyone loves you!" She squealed. Penny smiled at her friend and patted her hand. Penny got up and retrieved a bottle of water for her inebriated Bestie. She handed Amy the water and smoothed down her hair.

Penny rotated around the party and talked to her friends, making sure they were having a good time. She missed Sheldon, it felt incomplete with him being gone. The group started to count down the end of the year. She joined in and thought about Sheldon, he was already in the New Year. He had been for nine hours.

"Five.. Four.. Three.. Two.. ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Her party guests cheered in unison. Penny look around and realized she was the odd man out. Everyone got a kiss but her; even Leonard gave Amy a kiss on the cheek. Her heart sank and she quietly escaped to her bedroom. She wished he was here with her. Twenty-eight more days to go until Sheldon was home. Penny listened to her party guests having a grand old time, while she sulked in her bedroom. Her eyelids grew heavy and she fell asleep dreaming about Sheldon.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Penny woke up with a pounding headache. She hadn't gotten too drunk, but champagne always tricked her into thinking she had. She rolled around in her bed for a little while before she realized she was starving and needed coffee.

She walked out into the messy living room in her purple flannel bottoms and matching flannel robe. She knew what she got the privilege of doing today. She took out some bread and popped them into Sheldon's Cylon toaster. As her toast cooked, she made a pot of coffee. She shuffled around the living room cleaning up a bit when she heard the bread spring up in the toaster. She walked over to it, buttered it up and poured herself a cup of coffee.

The guest bedroom door creaked open and she heard footsteps walking toward the bathroom. She poured Leonard a cup of coffee as well. He probably needed it. Penny ate her toast and Leonard walked out into the kitchen. Wasn't he just in the bathroom? She looked at him puzzled and handed him his coffee. He took a sip and she heard the toilet flush. Amy appeared from the hallway.

Penny practically choked on her toast. Amy was wearing one of Leonard's button down shirts and no pants. Her hair was all over the place and she looked very hung over. Amy opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of orange juice. She drank it in one smooth motion. Leonard gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and she shuffled back to the guest room.

Penny's eyes snapped toward Leonard's. Her mouth was gaped open and she tried to find words to say. She couldn't. She just stared at him. Penny felt like she had been in this situation before, but Amy was Penny and Penny was Sheldon. It was too early to wrap her brain around the oddness of the situation.

Leonard smirked and sauntered back into the guest room with his coffee in hand, leaving an utterly confused Penny in the kitchen. She smiled, they were kind of cute together. She would have to text Amy to get the details.


	29. Chapter 29

**I have to let you guys know that have posted my story on adultff dot net, just in case my story gets reported. Anyways...**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 29**

Penny spent the morning cleaning up after her New Year's party after her Bestie did her first walk of shame. Amy left soon after waking and Penny and Leonard were left alone.

They didn't talk about what happened between him and Amy, because frankly it wasn't any of Penny's business and it was slightly awkward talking to her ex about having sex with her best friend.

She did, however; give him a strike on behalf of Sheldon. Leonard was well aware of the rules surrounding impending coitus and she didn't like the smirk he gave her when Amy went back to the bedroom.

They cleaned for what seemed like hours. God forbid Sheldon return to find a rogue piece of confetti in between the couch cushions. She was actually very grateful that Leonard was there to help. Penny made a panini for lunch and Leonard left to go spend the rest of the day in the laser lab.

Penny ate on the couch and watched some bad day time television. She always loved how Judge Judy talked to the idiots who came into her court. After setting her plate on the coffee table, Penny picked up her phone and began to text Amy.

_'Hey, at least your walk of shame was in good company. LOL' _She looked at her text. Amy for sure wasn't used to talking about this kind of stuff. It probably would be better to ease into the conversation. Penny quickly re-wrote her text.

_'How R U feeling Bestie?' _She smiled at her correction and send off her text. She continued watching her trash-tastic show and waited for her friend to reply. She picked at the chipped nail polish on her thumb as she waited. Her phone chimed, she picked it up and read Amy's reply.

_'I am feeling better than this morning. I want to apologize for defiling your guest bedroom. Things got kind of crazy last night.' _Penny smiled at her friend's confession. Amy wasn't one to beat around the bush, so to speak.

_'It's all good :) Just checking in. So can I get some deets on this craziness?'_ Penny hit the send button. She could see Amy typing out her response on iMessage. She waited with anticipation of her response.

_'After everyone left, I drunkenly confessed the feelings I was harboring for Leonard since Halloween and he confessed that he liked me too. We kissed on the couch and he offered for me to stay the night. I obliged and we got intimate in the guest room.' _Penny laughed, her friend was always so technically inclined. Her fingers quickly typed out her next question.

_'Did you go all the way? ;)' _Penny was so curious because Amy didn't really have a sex life. She felt slightly guilty for prying, but not really. She and Amy talked about her sex life, and friendship included reciprocity. Her phone chimed.

_'No, we made out heavily and finished with some light petting. I told him that I would provide him with a sample, but if he wanted the milk, he had to buy the cow.' _Penny laughed out loud. Amy would say something like that. The next question that came to her mind made her feel like a teenager.

_' R U 2 dating?' _Penny asked. Her phone quickly chimed back.

_'Yes. He asked me this morning after he walked me to the front door of the building.'_ Penny was a little worried, Leonard did just break up with Priya a couple of weeks back. She didn't want her friend to get hurt. She bit her lip as she typed out her response.

_'Be careful. I don't want to see you get hurt.' _

_'Don't worry Bestie. I'll be careful.' _Penny smiled and tucked her phone into her pocket and continued to watch her show.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

January seemed to disappear into the past. Sheldon had tremendous success in Switzerland, he didn't find the Higgs Boson, but he discovered another particle that was similar to it. He was being recognized worldwide in the physics community and people were saying that he brought a whole new light to how they would view subatomic particles.

Leonard found an apartment and he left Penny and Sheldon's place as a temporary guest. He and Amy were dating for almost a month and they both seemed very happy. She was nothing like Priya and accepted Leonard for who he was instead of trying to change him. Leonard and Amy were quite similar, but different enough to keep their relationship interesting.

Sheldon was due to arrive at LAX in the next half hour. Penny was speeding down the freeway; she knew he would have a fit if she was late. He hated airports, there were too many people coming from foreign places and he could catch some kind of jungle fever that the doctors would never diagnose until it was too late. She would never hear the end of it.

She arrived at the airport in record time. She made her way through the crowds of people and picked up a gossip magazine at one of the convenience stores. Her eyes flicked up to one of the monitors and double checked the gate Sheldon was supposed to arrive in. She moved quickly to the gate and sat down in a chair facing the doors he would soon be walking out of.

Penny sat nervously; Sheldon's plane was scheduled to land in 10 minutes. She had been anticipating this moment for over a week. She had imagined that they would run toward each other and he would scoop her up in his arms. The romantic comedies she was watching for the past week didn't help her fantasy.

She didn't even read the magazine she purchased. It sat open in her lap on some random page. Absent mindedly, she played with the pages of the magazine, ripping corners and rolling the paper between her fingers.

She watched the doors, wishing she had x-ray vision like a superhero out of one of Sheldon's comic books. The flight attendants emerged from the plane and slowly people began to pour out of the doors, into the airport and toward the baggage claim. Her heart fluttered and she nervously rolled up the magazine into a tube. Penny quickly stood up, wrung the magazine tube in her hands and hopped on her tip toes trying to spot her tall boyfriend.

He wasn't there. He didn't get off of the plane. Where was he? She started to panic as she scanned all of the people. Her pulse was hammering in her throat and she started to perspire. She scanned the crowd again and didn't see her slightly less awkward man-child of a boyfriend. Her heart sank and she felt hot all over.

Did he miss his flight? Was he ok? She could just picture him sitting in some Swedish airport being offered weird food often found in an Ikea, Sheldon hated food that he couldn't pronounce. She took a couple of steps toward the baggage claim. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked the time and her texts. She felt like all of the air had been forced out of her lungs. He was supposed to be on that flight!

"Excuse me, Miss, I think you dropped this." A voice said as she was being tapped on the shoulder. She quickly turned around at the voice and saw a perfect pink carnation being offered to her. She looked up. It was him. He was here and he was safe.

Relief washed over her and she felt like she could breathe again. She quickly realized that he was standing before her, so she flung her arms around him. He staggered back at the force she exerted, but quickly stabilized himself.

"Sheldon!" She cried as he pulled her close. He was still holding her flower, but he wrapped his arms around her waist. He buried his face into her shoulder, gently kissing her through her hair. They hugged for what seemed like an eternity. She inhaled his crisp refreshing scent as he rubbed his hands along her back. She pulled away and looked into his smiling face.

"Why weren't you on that flight? I thought you were in an ice bath missing one of your kidneys!" She yelled as she hit him with her rolled up magazine. He tried to block her attacks, but his attempts were thwarted. He sheepishly grinned at her.

"I took an earlier flight, so I could surprise you. I've been here for a couple of hours. So, uh, surprise!" He admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

"You know that you have some pretty humorous nervous tics?" He teased. He saw her walk over to the gate, so he sat down behind her and watched her as she waited for him. She grinned at him and pulled him into another embrace. He gently cupped her cheeks in his hands and he kissed her softly. He missed her soft perfect lips.

She pulled away and took the flower from him. She held it under her nose and smelled it. She couldn't believe him, he really had surprised her. He grasped her hand and they walked out of the airport, toward her car. He stuffed his things in her trunk and got into her car. They drove back to their apartment, excitedly chatting the entire way.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Penny opened the door to 4A and Sheldon walked in behind her. He felt relieved to be home. He looked around the apartment, it hadn't changed much. Penny had added a few more items in the living room and kitchen, but that was to be expected. Sheldon wheeled his luggage further into the living room and left it by the fridge as he walked into the kitchen to get a drink.

Sheldon felt Penny hugging him from behind. He let out a sigh and relaxed into her embrace. He missed this. He missed her. He turned around and rested his cheek on the top of her head while he returned her hug.

"So you mentioned that Leonard got his own place and he no longer resides here as a temporary guest." He confirmed. She nodded into his chest and rubbed at his sides. He felt relieved; he didn't want to be interrupted again.

He pulled away from their hug and picked her up. Penny wrapped her legs around him as he put her on the island. With her sitting on the island and him standing, they were the same height. He pressed his lips against hers and quickly began pulling off her shirt. He had gone too long without her touch. They had a few sexy skype sessions while he was away, but it wasn't enough.

She gripped at his shirts and tugged them off, tossing them to the side with hers. She cupped his cheeks in her hands and kissed him hard. She felt the primal urge to be satisfied take over her body. His tongue gently licked along her lips, the wet trail of his tongue was quickly replaced with a burning desire for more. She took his bottom lip into her mouth and softly sucked on it.

His hands wouldn't stay still; he wanted to explore every inch of her body. He unclasped her bra, allowing her breasts to spill into his hands. He grasped her breasts into his hands. She filled them perfectly. He felt her nipples harden and he teased and lightly pinched them. She felt her panties begin to dampen.

She moved her hands from cradling the back of his head to unbuttoning his pants. His hands left her breasts and he was tugging his pants down his hips. She quickly undid her pants and he lifted her up so she could wiggle them off her hips. He pulled away so he could tug her pants off and discard them. He kicked off his pants and pulled her back into his embrace.

He scooped her up into his arms and moved her toward the couch. The leather was cold against her skin and it gave her goose bumps. Sheldon hovered over her and looked her over. He leaned in and kissed at her neck. She softly sighed as she wrapped her legs around him.

"Penny, you have goose bumps." He told her in between small kisses. She nodded and focused on him kissing her. He worked his way down to the top of her breasts. He continued.

"The stimulus of cold surroundings, such as the leather of the couch, causes each of your hair follicles to contract." He explained as he took her nipple into his mouth. She gasped and felt her areolas tighten when he lightly grazed his teeth over them. She pressed her head into the softness of the sofa.

"This is your body's way of preserving heat." He said in between kisses that trailed down her abdomen. She was incredibly turned on. It wasn't like he was saying naughty things to her either. She couldn't explain her intense arousal. He nibbled down her hip bone and she squirmed underneath him. Her breaths were coming out quick and ragged.

"You can also get goose bumps while experiencing something you find pleasurable." He said as he gently kissed her inner thigh. She gasped and tried to control herself, her vision was becoming fuzzy and she felt like she was inebriated. He hooked his fingers into her panties and slid them down her legs in one controlled movement.

"The pleasure experience is driven by a chemical produced in your brain called dopamine. It produces physical effects that cause changes in the skin's electrical conductance, heart rate, breathing and temperature." He said gently teasing her wet center with a finger. She wasn't even listening to him anymore. It sounded like he was speaking jibberish. She whimpered as he teased her pulsating button.

He brought his face down to her and licked at her wetness. She just wanted him to be rough with her. She couldn't stand being teased any longer. He ended her torture when he thrust two fingers into her aching center.

She cried out and gripped at the couch cushions. His tongue gently caressed her clit while he pumped his fingers in and out of her. He could feel that she was close so he took her clit into his burning mouth. He grazed his teeth over it and then gently sucked on her.

"Sheldon." She whispered. Her body betrayed her and she came around his fingers. He smiled and held her in his mouth as she climaxed. She gripped at his hair and called out to a deity that Sheldon did not believe in. She was beginning to come back down from her Sheldon induced high, when he was kissing back up her body.

He looked into her eyes and smiled. This was so much better than skype. Sheldon pushed down the last piece of fabric that separated them and he gently teased her with his tip. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She wasn't sure she could take anymore.

"Now, Penny, I know that you were probably expecting something more romantic, but I want you to fuck me in my spot." He said in an authoritative tone as he gently coaxed her on top of him. She nodded and grasped his member in her hand. She pumped her fist up and down before slowly impaling herself on him. He pressed his head against her shoulder as he felt her sliding down.

She moaned and gently kneaded her breasts. He watched her as she pulled and teased her nipples. She moved up and down his shaft, grinding against him when their bodies met. His hands caressed her ass as she rode him.

"Mmm, you like that Shel?" She asked as she bit her bottom lip. His tongue darted out to moisten his dry lips. He watched her face, it was soft with sexual bliss.

"Oh Lord, yes. Keep talking to me." He pleaded. He loved when she talked dirty to him. She picked up her pace and he found that he was thrusting up to meet her in the middle.

"Sheldon, you're so good. Fuck me, please." She cried. He quickly picked her up and pressed her back against the seat of the couch. He thrust into her hard and deep, she let out soft moans with every thrust. He couldn't control himself any longer, he just needed release. He let his primal urges take over and he came into her. She could feel him releasing into her, which made her crash down around him.

They laid together on the couch, sexually satisfied and spent. Their breathing was returning to normal and their heart rates were quickly stabilizing. He stayed inside her a moment longer before removing himself from her warm center.

He looked into her eyes and quickly realized that he couldn't live without her. It wasn't just the sex, it was everything, and he needed her in his life. Being away for two months was hard enough; he couldn't imagine a lifetime with her not by his side. She smiled up at him and gently kissed his lips. They got up off the couch and Sheldon decided to take a shower. He offered for her to join him, to conserve water and she accepted. They had sex three more times that day. Sheldon had nowhere to be except with the woman that he loved.


	30. Chapter 30

**I truly appreciate all of your support, if you've been with me from the beginning or if you're just tuning in, thank you!**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 30**

Sheldon sat in the driver's seat of a new crimson red BMW 135i Coupe. He rubbed his hands along the steering wheel, attempting to get a feel for the car. He glanced over at Leonard who was sitting in the passenger seat. Leonard was still dumbfounded that Sheldon Cooper was taking him car shopping.

Sheldon had a discussion with Penny about purchasing a car, and they both decided that it would be economical for him to have one, especially a new one, in case Penny's ever gave up on her. He felt uneasy about buying a new car when Penny's car was on its last legs, but she told him that her car would hold up until she got a job. Right now she couldn't afford a new car, and hers held sentimental value, so she would drive that thing into the ground.

"What do you think Leonard?" Sheldon asked as he glanced over to his friend. Leonard sighed. This was the tenth dealership they had been to. They had test driven five cars and Leonard was beginning to get tired.

"Sheldon, this car is very nice, can you just pick one so we can go?" Leonard whined. He had also said that about the last three Sheldon sat in. Sheldon pouted. This was a difficult purchase and Leonard was being no help. He silently wished he had taken Penny, but due to her unavailability, Leonard should have sufficed. He wasn't sufficing.

Sheldon got out and looked at the car. He had already made his decision when he sat in the driver's seat, but he had to logically go over his options. This car was quite expensive, but as his expenses accounted for 46.9% of his after tax income, and the remainder was put into a small savings account, and after saving for practically his entire career, he could afford it.

He looked around for a moment and flagged the saleswoman over. She stalked toward him in her six inch heels, tight skirt and slightly opened blouse. She leaned up against the red vehicle and tossed her voluminous brunette hair over her shoulder. She smiled and put on her seductive charm.

"What can I do for you, Sweetie?" She asked as she leaned against the hood of the car. Sheldon cringed at her use of that pet name. She sounded so transparent when she said it. He discreetly looked her over. Sheldon was a smart man, and he knew exactly what was going on.

"I would like to purchase this motor vehicle, so I would appreciate it if you removed your persons from it." Sheldon said in a monotone voice. She eyed him for a moment and stood up. She smiled sweetly and batted her false eyelashes at him.

"It's a very sexy car, Mr…" she said trying to coax his name out of him. He pursed his lips, he hated being called Mister.

"It's Dr., actually" He corrected her. Her eyes lit up and she unconsciously bit her lip.

"My apologies Dr…" She said again questioning him for his name. This time she delicately touched his arm. Sheldon's eyes darted down to the foreign hand that was caressing his bicep. He removed her hand from his arm and quickly disinfected himself.

"It's Dr. I Want To Buy This Car. Now, I would like for you to cut the cost by 25% to make up for the depreciation that will happen the second I drive it off the lot. I also noticed that this particular car has 400 miles on the odometer so I would like for you to take off an extra 10% to make up for all of the people who test drove this car." He said in a commanding tone. Her eyes grew wide. She never encountered anyone who was not eating out of the palm of her hand. He took a step toward her and she stopped breathing for a second.

"Also, I would like to inform you that your promiscuous sales techniques won't work on me. Now, please draw up the paper work and keep in mind that I will be reading over every single sentence you put into the document." He said. She looked at him like he was crazy. Sheldon raised his eyebrows and motioned for her to get on her way. He didn't have all day.

The saleswoman nodded her head and turned around to the finance department. Sheldon felt satisfied, he knew he would get what he wanted. The saleswoman came back with the sales contract and once everything was to Sheldon's liking; he took the keys and drove off the lot.

Sheldon drove back to his place, satisfied with his purchase. He parked in Leonard's old parking spot, which he now claimed as his. He got out and admired his car for a moment before heading into the building.

Sheldon unlocked the door and walked into 4A. He tossed his keys into the bowl and walked into the living room. He noticed a message on their answering machine. He hit the play button and walked into the kitchen to get a drink from the fridge.

_'Hi, this message is for Sheldon. This is Penny's dad, Wyatt. When you get a chance, call me back.' _The machine recited the time and that there were no new messages.

He quickly erased the message and looked at the phone as if it was going to bite him. Why would Penny's father be calling for him? He picked up the phone and called her dad. The phone rang twice before the line picked up. Sheldon secretly wished that it would have ringed a third time.

"Hello?" Penny's dad answered. Sheldon suddenly got nervous, as he had never spoken to Penny's father before. He cleared his throat and found his words.

"Yes, hello, I'm looking to speak with Wyatt." He said as he sat down in his spot.

"This is Wyatt." Her father replied. Sheldon hated small talk.

"Hi, Wyatt, this is Dr. Sheldon Cooper returning your phone call." He said, he could feel his pulse in his throat.

"Oh Sheldon! I'm glad you called back. I just wanted to have a few words with the man that stole my daughter's heart." Wyatt replied.

"Penny has told me so much about you, and now that you're living together, I just wanted to give you the talk that all fathers have with the men that their daughters have decided to live with." He continued.

"Sir, I'm not really one for banal chit chat, so I'm going to just cut to the chase, so to speak. I love and respect your daughter very much and I can assure you that she is well." Sheldon said.

"Look, Sheldon, she's my little girl and I just want to make sure that you're taking good care of her." Wyatt said sympathetically. Sheldon nodded, he remembered when his mother bombarded Penny with the very same talk.

"Wyatt, Penny is an overly independent and very resourceful woman; she does not need someone to take care of her. However, despite those endearing traits, I will do my best to ensure that she is well taken care of." He replied. Sheldon felt the nervousness slowly fade away as he carried on the conversation with her father.

"I'm glad to hear that your intentions are good." He paused before continuing. "Sheldon, I have to get going, you kind of caught me in the middle of something, but I would like to make my way out there for a visit soon." Wyatt said. Sheldon chose his next words carefully.

"Sir, before you go, I just need you to know that I intend to marry your daughter one day. I want to spend the rest of my life with her." Sheldon confessed. All of the nervousness dissipated when he told her father his true intentions. He was very confident in his statement.

"You're a good man, Dr. Cooper. We'll talk soon." He concluded. They both said their goodbyes and Sheldon hung up the phone. He sighed and sunk back into the couch, holding the cordless phone in his hands. That was the first time he had audibly admitted how he felt about Penny. He knew that he felt that way the moment his eyes met hers when he surprised her in the airport.

He placed the phone back in the cradle and stood up. Sheldon walked over to his laptop and sifted through random Wikipedia articles. His mind kept returning to Penny and soon he found himself going from reading an article about Cochoa birds to looking at engagement rings online. He definitely wasn't ready to purchase one yet, but Sheldon liked to be prepared for whatever he chose to do. He did find one that he thought she would like, so he bookmarked it, even though he could quickly recall the website address if he wanted.

Sheldon's heart rate accelerated when he heard Penny's keys jingle at the front door. He froze up when she entered their apartment. His hands hovered over his keyboard and his back stiffened. She looked over at him and he looked back at her, wide eyed and suspicious. Her eyes narrowed at him as she placed her keys in the bowl and shut the door. He swallowed the lump that was quickly forming in his throat and realized that he needed to minimize his internet screen.

"Hey.. they cut my section a little early. Is that your car parked beside mine?" She asked while moving slowly into the apartment. Sheldon glanced at his computer monitor and quickly found the Wikipedia article he was reading before he got side tracked. He looked back at her and quickly nodded.

"Yes, though it might not be the most practical choice, I figured what's life without whimsy." He said with a small smile. Penny smiled back and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She leaned in, kissed his cheek and pressed her head against his.

"Well practical or not, that car is fucking hot." She said in a playful tone. Her breath was hot in his ear, he closed his eyes and a chill ran down his spine. He felt the familiar flutter of butterflies in his stomach.

"Maybe you can take me for a ride sometime, Doctor." She continued softly in his ear. She looked up at his laptop. He was so cute, reading about birds. Perhaps he was trying to get over his fear of them, or maybe he was researching to better know his enemy. She pressed her lips against his temple, then walked toward the bedroom. She needed to change out of her gross work uniform.

Sheldon let out a sigh of relief when she left the room. He was slightly turned on. He took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down. Arousal was replaced by guilt when he thought about looking at rings for a woman who he wasn't even sure wanted to get married. He cleared his internet history, he didn't want to have her find his recent searches if she did find her way onto his computer. He needed to have a talk with Penny.


	31. Chapter 31

**Only a few more chapters left. I will span it out over the next couple of days as we head into summer. Again, thank you for reading and reviewing, I still can't believe the response I've gotten from this story.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 31**

Sunday mornings were reserved for paintball with the boys. They were playing with a couple of other people that they worked with and they voted on playing capture the flag. Sheldon's heart raced as he snuck into the other team's base. He was sure that he was going to get caught, but the only person he could see was from the Geology department and he was texting on his Blackberry.

Sheldon grabbed the other's team flag and began to make his stealthy escape. He quietly walked through the heavily wooded area, careful to watch where he was stepping. His foot caught on something as he walked in between two small poplar trees. Suddenly there was an alarm going off, alerting the other team that there was an intruder in their base. He looked behind him and saw Barry Kripke running at full force toward him.

He ran in the direction of his team's base with the other team's flag stuffed in his pocket so that it was half visible. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Barry was hot on his heels, shooting in his direction. He stumbled as he tried to duck behind a tree. The force of the paintball hitting his calf made him wince. He pressed his back against the large tree trunk as he fought to catch his breath.

"C'mon Coopa! I totawe hit you!" Barry called out to him. Sheldon pressed his head against the tree he was seeking refuge behind. His calf throbbed with pain.

"Legs and arms don't count, Kripke." Sheldon retorted. He needed an exit strategy. His brain quickly went through all of the possible scenarios and they pretty much all resulted in Sheldon's game ending prematurely. If Barry kept shouting, it would likely end in an ambush.

"You're done Coopa! Just suwenda and we can all go home." Barry yelled. Sheldon let out a heavy sigh. He needed to move. He spun out from behind the tree and shot Barry in the chest with a bright green paintball, eliminating him from the competition. Sheldon mouthed a quick "Thank-you Jesus" and took off in the direction he was originally headed in.

Twigs and branches snapped under his feet as he hurdled through the woods, toward his team's base. His brain had the entire course mapped out and he was at least five steps ahead of his enemies. Perspiration beaded on his forehead, he didn't bother wiping it away. His lungs felt like they were on fire; they burned when he tried to take in as much air as he could. He felt his pulse beating in his ears and his throat ached with dryness. He had no choice but to press forward.

Suddenly, Leslie Winkle appeared from behind a tree, she aimed her paintball gun at Sheldon as he stopped in his tracks. He looked around; she must have waited the entire game for him there. His breathing was ragged and he didn't have time to move before Leslie took a shot at him. The paintball hit Sheldon in the arm and he cried out. His grasped at his stinging flesh and his eyes watered. She wasn't supposed to be shooting at such a close range.

"Give me the flag, Dumbass, and I will consider keeping you in the game." Leslie said. Sheldon licked his dry lips and his eye twitched. She shot him intentionally in the arm. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of surrender. He dropped his arms to his sides, he knew she had bested him and his only option was to accept defeat, but he wouldn't.

"You'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands." He replied with a hint of smugness in his voice as he raised his paintball gun. Leslie shrugged her shoulders and shot him five times in the chest. Sheldon huffed and took the flag out of his pocket. He held it out to her and she reached to grab it. He quickly tossed it onto a branch that was too high for her to reach. He childishly stuck his tongue out at her while walking away to the dead area.

"I'm hit!" Sheldon yelled; he held his gun over his head as he walked. Once he made it to the dead area, he took off his goggles and cleaned them of their fluorescent splatter. He sat down on a hay stack and lifted up his pant leg. The spot where Barry hit was already a deep purple bruise. He touched his welted flesh and it throbbed with pain. He quickly covered his wound and looked up to see Walowitz enter the dead area.

"They got you too?" Howard asked as he approached Sheldon. Howard sat down and took off his goggles. He had orange paint splattered on his face, but didn't seem to care. Sheldon rolled his eyes at Howard's obvious question.

"I had their flag. I was so close to victory and it was embezzled from me by Leslie Winkle." Sheldon said spitting out her name like it was a lamb kabob. Howard nodded and began to take off his armor. He tossed his chest armor to the ground and sat back down beside Sheldon. They sat in silence for a few moments before Howard cleared his throat.

"So how are things between you and Penny?" Howard asked with a smile. Sheldon narrowed his eyes at him. He was not in the mood for any lewd comments.

"Things are fine." Sheldon answered quickly. Things were actually better than fine. The corner of his mouth twitched and his expression softened.

"Why do you ask?" He inquired. He really wasn't sure why Howard would be asking such a question. Howard smiled. Despite him being crude most of the time, he also had a wonderful wife and knew what it was like to be in love.

"I just see the way you guys are together and even though I never thought in a million years that you would be with Penny, I know that you guys were kind of made for each other." He said. Sheldon half smiled and looked away, Howard did have a point. He shifted in his seat and looked back at his friend.

"Howard, how did you know that Bernadette was going to say yes to your marriage proposal?" Sheldon asked in a small voice. Howard sat in shock for a moment. He couldn't believe that Sheldon was asking him for advice.

"Well, I actually didn't know that she was going to say yes. I actually thought she was going to reject me and stomp my heart into the ground." Howard confessed. He remembered how terrifying it was to ask that question, especially in front of all of his friends.

"Well, we all thought that." Sheldon retorted. Howard's smile turned into a frown at Sheldon's remark. He was still curious about why he was asking him about that kind of stuff and Sheldon never really talked to him about personal matters, so he let it slide.

"Are you thinking about proposing to Penny?" He asked in a hushed tone. His eyes darted across Sheldon's face. Sheldon looked down to the ground.

"Well, no. I don't even know her stance on marriage. It would be foolish for me to make a decision without assessing all of the data first. As you are my only married friend, I was just trying to obtain some perspective from a person who has already experienced the situation." Sheldon said. He cupped his chin in his hand and placed his elbow on his knee. He continued to look at the ground in front of him.

"Wait, I'm your friend?" Howard asked in disbelief. Sheldon snapped his attention to Howard. That's what he chose to take away from the comment Sheldon just made? He pursed his lips together.

"Yes, but you can go back to being a treasured acquaintance quicker than I can say 'bupkes'." He threatened. Howard smiled at his choice of Yiddish.

"You'll know when the time is right for you guys." Howard offered. He wasn't sure what else to say. Sheldon looked away slightly defeated. He thought his "friend" would have some more rational advice for him. Howard noticed the sullen look on Sheldon's face and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll ask Bernadette to subtly inquire about Penny's stance on marriage." He said. Sheldon's eyes lit up and he smiled.

"Thanks friend." He said as he stood up to take off his chest armor. Leonard and Raj walked into the dead area and Sheldon glanced at his watch. He was thankful, now they could go to Denny's for something to eat. He was starving.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sheldon walked into his apartment with all of his paintball equipment looking clean and free of paint. Penny looked up from her spot on the couch as he crossed the apartment and put all of his equipment in the storage closet. He walked to the fridge and retrieved a diet coke and an acetaminophen for himself.

"How was your game, Sweetie?" Penny asked as she paused her movie. She had only been paintballing with the boys once and she didn't even get to play because Sheldon took her out in the shed. He sat down beside her in his spot and tried to keep his calf from coming in contact with the couch. He failed and flinched as he sat. He opened his soda and took the pain medication.

"We lost. It was terrible. I was taken out by Leslie Winkle." He said in a disappointed tone. He wished he would have let Kripke take him out instead. She patted his arm where Leslie had intentionally shot him and he recoiled from her touch.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie, are you ok?" Penny asked clutching her hand to her chest. Sheldon nodded, he would be alright; he just needed to treat his bruises. He sat back on the couch and placed his hand over his battle wound.

"I was hit with a paintball. Twice." He said showing her his welted calf. She gasped and quickly got up off the couch to retrieve a couple of ice packs for him. She wrapped them in dish towels and brought them over to the couch.

She lifted Sheldon's legs and rested them in her lap. She gave him an ice pack and he held it against his arm and she carefully iced his leg. He smiled at her; she was always so good at caring for him. If he had to rely on one person for the rest of his life, he would make sure it would be her.

"That feels good." Sheldon said. His expression was soft and his eyes were bright. She smiled at him and kissed his bare knee.

"Penny, will you sing Soft Kitty?" He asked. She gave him a knowing smile.

"Soft Kitty is for when you're sick. You're not sick." She reminded him. He pouted. He looked away and quickly flicked his eyes back to her.

"Bruised and sad from losing is a kind of sick." He countered softly. She couldn't say no, but she had to make it look like she was at least trying to put up a fight. She sighed and nodded.

"Soft kitty, Warm kitty, Little ball of fur.." She began. She couldn't believe the thought that popped into her head at that moment, but she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this crazy Whack-A-Doodle. She reached out and brushed her fingers through his soft hair.

"Happy kitty, Sleepy kitty, Purr purr purr." She softly finished. Sheldon smiled at her. They sat together nursing Sheldon's war wounds as they finished watching the remaining sixty minutes of WALL-E and eating Red Vines.


	32. Chapter 32

**Jislane, thank you so much for the cover art. I will have it up shortly. You really captured the essence of the Shenny I was trying to convey. :D**

**tbbtfangirl on deviantart, it's in her gallery ;)**

**Everyone who is alerting and favouriting, I encourage you to stop in and say hello. Maybe share a favourite line or moment.  
**

**And yes, I realize I spelled favourite with a "u". I'm Canadian, eh?  
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**Enjoy! :D  
**

**Chapter 32**

A week had passed and Penny sat at a small table for two in a locally owned coffee shop with Bernadette. She was cut from her Saturday morning shift at work because it was so dead, so she invited Bernadette out for coffee. She sipped on her caramel latte as Bernadette nursed her caffeine free herbal tea. They had been chatting for ten minutes about school and work when Penny changed the subject.

"So, how are things at Casa de Walowitz?" Penny asked. She was so thankful that Howard had Bernadette in his life to keep him in line. Bernadette smiled and nervously played with the sleeve that wrapped around her disposable cup.

"Well, things are going really good. We've been busy lately, we just repainted the living room and the second bedroom. Howie doesn't like the color of the bedroom, but he thinks it will grow on him once we can add more color to it." She said. Penny twisted her hair in her fingers.

"What color is the living room?" She asked. Bernadette thought about how to describe it.

"It's kind of like a smoky blue. It's called Blue Fox." She said with a smile. Penny smiled warmly back.

"And the spare room?" She asked. Bernadette smiled and a flush of rose tinted her cheeks.

"It's kind of a light grey. It's called Sweet Vanilla. I also wouldn't exactly call it a spare room." She said with a cheeky grin. Penny furrowed her brow at her friend. Suddenly it hit her. Her eyes grew wide and she gasped.

"Oh my God! You're pregnant?" She said almost shouting. Bernadette laughed and nodded her head. Penny stood up and hugged her friend. Bernadette gave Penny a squeeze before letting her go. Penny sat back down and unconsciously kept looking at her friend's stomach.

"How far along are you?" She excitedly asked. She knew that her friend looked different, she looked really good. Penny thought it was a haircut, but it was pregnancy glow.

"I'm just over three months. It was totally unexpected, and I wasn't too pleased at first, but now I'm kind of excited. We talked about things and even though I'm terrified, I will have Howie by my side, so it makes things less terrifying." She said with a small laugh. She thought she was dead set against having kids, but once she thought about the life growing inside of her, she came around.

"Oh wow! That's so crazy! Bernadette, you're going to be a mom!" Penny cried. She got a little weepy and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Bernadette beamed and held her belly.

"So how are things going with the good Doctor, Mrs. Cooper?" Bernadette teased. Penny blushed. She had to admit that she didn't mind being called Mrs. Cooper.

"Oh, y'know, things are going. I like where we are right now, it's serious, but not overwhelming. I've never been this committed to someone before." Penny replied. She was slightly worried about going past the point of no return.

"So no marriage plans for the two of you?" Bernadette asked. Penny shook her head. There was definitely no planning going on.

"No, I just don't know if that's something that he wants. I mean, he has his career and it means everything to him. I don't want to have him feel like I'm pressuring him and have him freak out." She confessed. The truth was, she had been thinking about it a lot lately. She couldn't seem to get the notion of marrying Sheldon out of her head.

"And besides, how would I even bring it up to him? 'Hey Sheldon, how about that science? Wanna get married?'" Penny said defeated. She knew it would be too much for him, so she would keep reserved about the subject until he chose to bring it up. Bernadette smiled.

"I think that you just need to tell him how you feel anyway. You never know, he might be inclined to hear out your argument." Bernadette said.

Penny sighed, she was right. If she didn't tell him, it would come out at the most inopportune time and it would probably not end well. They continued to chat about baby names, Bernadette's fear of having an ugly baby and Penny's imaginary wedding details.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Sheldon pulled the mail out of the box and sifted through it. His eyes lit up when he saw a letter addressed to him from his MeeMaw. He tossed the junk mail into the trash and quickly walked up the four flights of stairs to his apartment. He walked in and strode to the bedroom, excitedly opening the letter before reaching his room.

The box filled with his grandmother's letters hid under his bed. He pulled the box out from its hiding place and sat on his bed with his legs crossed. He took out the crisp white paper from the envelope and began to read.

_My Dearest MoonPie, _

_I can't believe how much time has passed since I saw you last. I'm so glad to hear that you are doing well. Switzerland must have been so exciting to visit. I am incredibly proud of you. Ever since you were a little boy, I always knew that you would do great things with what God gave you. _

_Since I received your letter, things have been a bit different around here. Missy started seeing a boy from your momma's church. He is good to her and she seems to like him a great deal. Missy brought him around twice for dinner. Georgie took what you said to him at Thanksgiving to heart. About a month after Christmas he checked himself into one of those facilities in the city. Your momma is doing well too. She has been working very hard and she's been praying for your brother._

_I hope that Penny is doing well and that you are looking after her. She is someone very special and I am very happy that you are sharing your extraordinary life with her. You deserve nothing but the best and with her, I believe you are the best version of yourself. _

_MoonPie, I have included something very special in this letter. I want you to use it as you see fit. Your grandpappy would be so proud of the man you have become. I love you very much and I look forward to hearing back from you soon. Please give my SweetPea a squeeze from me._

_Love you forever, _

_MeeMaw xoxo_

Sheldon smiled at his grandmother's written words. He was glad to hear about his brother finally getting help for his vices and he hoped that Missy was happy with her new boyfriend. He glanced over the letter one more time before peeking into the envelope.

A shiny white gold ring fell into his hand as he tipped the envelope over into his palm. He peered at the ring and realized it was his grandmother's engagement ring. It was a one carat blue topaz ring, with small diamonds in a channel setting along the band. The center stone was brilliant cut and surrounded by a halo of small diamonds. Sheldon smiled at his grandmother's gesture. The ring was truly a representation of both Sheldon and Penny, as her birthstone was topaz and blue topaz was the state gemstone of Texas.

The door to the bedroom opened and Penny walked in taking off her shirt. Sheldon grasped the ring in his fist and froze up when she turned toward him. Sheldon held his breath. She smiled when she saw the box of letters on their bed. She tossed her work shirt in her hamper and unzipped her skirt.

"My MeeMaw wants me to give you a hug for her." Sheldon quickly said as he gently placed the newest letter in the box with the others. Penny smiled and took off the rest of her work uniform. She placed her skirt in the same hamper as her shirt and stood in her pink cotton bra and panty set. Sheldon looked her over and smiled.

"That's so sweet, I miss your MeeMaw. I'm going to have a shower, do you want to join me?" She asked as she bit her lip at him and teasingly tugged on her bra straps. Sheldon's phone rang in his pocket. He shook his head and motioned for her to go on without him. He answered as she grabbed a towel from the back of the door and sauntered off to the bathroom.

"Hello?" He asked in a raspy voice. He heard the shower turn on and he opened his fist. The ring sat delicately in the palm of his hand.

"Hey Sheldon, it's Howard. Bernadette just got back from coffee with Penny and she told Bernadette that she isn't opposed to the idea of marriage, but she's not sure that you want to get married." Howard said. Sheldon smiled. He was glad to hear those words come out of his mouth.

"Thank you for the plethora of information Howard." Sheldon said as he played with the ring in his fingers. He would definitely have to discuss his intentions with Penny. He and Howard said goodbye and Sheldon got up to find a hiding place for the ring.

He bent down and opened the wall socket safe beside the dresser and stashed the ring in the novelty item that he purchased from the internet. He put the box filled with MeeMaw's letters back in its original hiding place under his bed.

Sheldon heard the shower turn off and Penny get out. She walked back into the bedroom in just a towel, holding her under garments in her hand. Sheldon wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the top of her head. He pulled away and looked into her green eyes. She smiled up at him and took off her towel. Sheldon watched as she casually put on a t-shirt and jeans. She rubbed her hair in the towel.

"Penny, would you like to go on a date with me tonight?" Sheldon asked. Penny smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She gave him a tight squeeze before she hung up her towel and walked out of the bedroom. Sheldon followed her out into the living room.

"Sheldon, I would love to go on a date with you. What did you have in mind?" She asked, turning around to face him. Sheldon's face ticked as he thought about his plans for her tonight.

"I want to keep it a secret." He replied quietly as he looked at the floor and clasped his hands behind his back. If she asked again, he would have to tell her. She nodded, all she wanted was a little hint, but she didn't want him to spill everything to her.

"I want you to meet me on the roof at 7:00 pm." He simply stated. She nodded.

"What should I wear?" She quickly asked. He thought about it for a moment.

"You can wear that, you'll probably want to bring a sweater." He replied. She rose up on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek. She had a vague idea of what he had in store, but she would let him think that he was a man of mystery. Penny spent the rest of her lazy Saturday doing the laundry to Sheldon's specifications and she had a quick nap in the late afternoon.


	33. Chapter 33

**I sincerely hope that I have done our duo justice with this chapter. Thoughts?  
**

**Enjoy! :)  
**

**Chapter 33**

Penny zipped up her hooded sweater as she walked up the last flight of stairs. Her hand hovered over the handle to the door that led to the roof. She noticed how clammy her palms were. She wasn't sure what to expect, and even though she could pretty much predict Sheldon's behavior, she felt nervous. She grasped the handle and inhaled slowly and evenly.

She opened the door and stepped out onto the roof. There were white strings of lights put up and she saw Sheldon tinkering with his telescope. He looked up as she walked toward him. She stood by his side and grasped his hand in hers.

"Hi." She said looking up at him. He squeezed her fingers lightly and smiled at her. He was wearing a heavy zip up hoodie instead of his flimsy windbreaker.

"Hi." He replied. He led her to a couple of camping chairs that he had set out for them. She sat down and he offered her a blanket to snuggle up in. He sat down beside her and laced his fingers into hers underneath the blanket. She smiled as she looked over at him. She loved it when he shared his interests with her.

"Penny, do you know the story of Andromeda?" He asked. She shook her head. He smiled and pointed up to the sky. She looked up and was overwhelmed by the amount of stars in the sky. It was surprisingly clear for the amount of light pollution Pasadena gave off.

"Right there is Cassiopeia and just below that constellation lies the Andromeda Galaxy. It's roughly 2.6 million light years away from earth and if you are looking at it when it's a moonless night, you can see it with the naked eye." He said. She squinted and tried to find where he was pointing, it was easy to get lost in the vastness of space, even from a fixed location on Earth. Sheldon cleared his throat and continued.

"Andromeda's mother Cassiopeia, boasted that her daughter was more beautiful than the daughters of the sea god Nereus. Cassiopeia was punished for her arrogance by Poseidon and her daughter was sacrificed to a sea monster. However, she was saved by Perseus, her future husband." Sheldon finished as he looked over at Penny who was giving him a perturbed look. He stood up and led Penny over to his telescope. She was afraid to touch it because it looked expensive and she didn't want to break it.

"If you look, you can see the Andromeda Galaxy. It's not as clear as I want it to be, and it would be better to view it next month. But that's neither here nor there." He said as he motioned for her to look into the telescope.

Penny looked through the viewing piece and she let out a small gasp. She could see the distinctive spiral around the bright center. Though it appeared no bigger than her thumbnail, she could truly appreciate its greatness.

She looked at Sheldon who had a big smile on his face. He moved to look through the telescope and he began to re-position it. He would look up at the sky and back into his telescope only to move it a few inches.

"So, what are stars made of?" Penny curiously asked as she stuffed her hands into her pockets and looked up at the sky. She never really did pay attention in junior high science class. Sheldon looked up at her and quickly smiled before going back to finding whatever it was he was looking for.

"Good question!" He said as he searched. He locked his telescope in place and turned his attention toward her. Her heart was beating fast and her palms were sweaty. Why was she so nervous?

"Stars are very dense, very hot balls of gas. They are mostly composed of hydrogen gas. The closest start to us is our own sun, and Proxima Centauri is the next closest star." Sheldon said without any condescension or smugness coloring his voice. Penny smiled and another question popped into her head.

"What is space?" She cheekily asked. She knew space was nothing, it was pretty much like air. Sheldon smiled and took her hands into his. He kissed her on the forehead and looked into her face.

"Penny, do you remember when I asked you what physics was?" he asked. She nodded. The only thing she took away from that lesson was that ma=mg. And she didn't even know what that meant. She also learned that Fig Newtons were not named after the scientist.

"For me to explain what space is, you should have a basic understanding of physics. However, the way I view space is kind of like a piece of fabric that is being stretched across the universe. It can be stretched or slack, it can be twisted and bunched and it is the basis of everything. If we took away all of the planets and stars and galaxies from the universe, we would be left with space." He said in a cool tone.

She nodded her head, she was impressed that he could actually explain something as elaborate as space in such simple terms. He led her back to the telescope and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"I want to show you something else." He quickly said as she gazed into his deep blue eyes. They were full of excitement and they sparkled in the night.

"I'm going to show you the Orion Nebula. Now, this nebula is much closer to us than the Andromeda Galaxy. It is approximately twenty light years away from earth. In the Orion Nebula, new stars are constantly forming and there are many different star classes in the nebula." He continued as Penny looked into the telescope.

Her stomach fluttered and her heart skipped a beat. It was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. It was like looking at the Aurora Borealis, but trillions of miles away. She could see the strong center bursting with rich hues of purples, encased by a light blue almost white looking smoke. The sight of something so spectacular took her breath away. She stepped back and put her hand against her chest. She could feel her heart racing.

She looked at Sheldon who was waiting nervously for her reaction. She grasped his hand and held it tightly as she looked at it again. Her eyes welled up with tears. Her emotions had gotten the best of her. She couldn't believe he was sharing this part of his life with her.

"Sheldon, that's amazing! I've never seen anything like it ever before in my life! Thank you for showing me that, Sweetie." She said as she wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her tightly and rested his chin on her head.

"Penny, your reaction to seeing the Orion Nebula is exactly how I feel about you." He said pulling away from her. His face grew more serious, but his expression was still soft. She smiled and wiped at her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater.

"I couldn't have articulated it better myself. You're amazing. I've never met anyone like you ever before in my life. Thank you for showing me what life can truly amount to. I want to spend the rest of my life feeling like I've seen the Orion Nebula for the first time. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Penelope." He said while wringing his nervous hands together.

She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him sweetly. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Their tongues met and they gently caressed each other. She felt the same excited nervousness in the pit of her stomach as when they first kissed.

If someone told her half a year ago that she would be kissing the love of her life on the roof top of the apartment they shared and that the love of her life would be Sheldon Cooper, she would have laughed in their face.

She pulled away and searched his eyes. They didn't tell her anything besides he was hopelessly in love with her. His mouth twitched up into a smile and his eyes got even brighter. She nervously bit her lip and looked down.

"Sheldon, are you asking me to marry you?" She said with uncertainty. Her eyes found their way back to his as he reached into his pocket. His heart rate accelerated as he grasped the ring in his hand. He slowly exhaled as he knelt in front of her. He looked up into Penny's eyes. Her right hand covered her mouth and he took her left hand in his.

"Yes, I am. Penelope Sophia Marie Beeckman, will you marry me?" He asked while offering his grandmother's ring to her. Tears stung Penny's eyes as she nodded her head.

"Yes." she whispered as Sheldon slipped the ring on her finger and stood up. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She held up her hand and admired her new piece of jewelry while he returned her hug.

He pulled away from her embrace and looked into her face. She smiled and quickly kissed his lips. The ring sparkled on her finger, and she quietly admired it. She grinned at her new fiancé and he held her hands. She couldn't believe she was engaged, to Sheldon Cooper no less.

"I love you, Sheldon." She said while cupping his cheek. He pulled her in close and softly kissed her. His fingers twisted into her hair as she explored his mouth with her tongue. Kissing Penny became second nature to him. He would move his lips in perfect synchronicity with hers and he knew just how to entice certain feelings and reactions from her.

Her hands moved down his back and she slid them up into his shirts. Sheldon gasped into her mouth as her cold finger tips traced up his back. His pants began to restrict and feel tight in the crotch. Penny felt him pressing against her stomach. She smiled into their sexy kiss and nibbled on his bottom lip. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she slowly kissed up the pulse in his throat.

"Let's go downstairs, I'm getting cold." She breathily whispered into his ear. His erection lurched against the confines of his Chinos and his head swam. He nodded as she sucked on his earlobe. She released him from her vixen charms and grabbed the camping chairs. He watched her as she moved toward the door and disappeared through it.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. His lips felt swollen and his tongue darted out to moisten them. He needed to quench the thirst that was Penny. He rushed to pack up his telescope and he stowed it carefully away in its large case. He replayed everything that just happened in his head, he couldn't believe that she said yes.

He looked up at the night sky and smiled, the universe worked in mysterious ways and Penny would have said it was fate. Sheldon didn't believe in fate, but he believed in Penny.

He carried his telescope down the stairwell to their apartment. He walked in and noticed that Penny wasn't in the living room or kitchen. He set his telescope down and walked toward the bedroom.

His heart pounded in his ears and his stomach was twisted in knots. Why did he feel so nervous? He placed his hand on the bedroom's door handle and exhaled slowly and evenly.


	34. Chapter 34

**And here we are, the last hurrah before the curtain closes. We've laughed, we've cried, we've wanted to pants Leonard and send him on his way... Just me? In any case, it's been a blast! I hope you all have an amazing summer full of beach balls and cotton candy.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 34**

Sheldon opened their bedroom door and the entire room was set to light with candles. He walked into the bedroom and couldn't fathom the effort that Penny had put toward the ambiance. He took off his heavy sweater and delicately placed it in his hamper.

Penny appeared in the doorway, the hallway was dark behind her and the candle light softly caressed her curves. She had her hair up in a messy bun with small pieces of hair framing her fce. She wore a cornflower blue lace bra and panty set. Her panties hugged her hips and sat low on her abdomen. She smiled and stalked toward Sheldon.

He attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in his dry throat. Her hands gripped the hem of his shirts as she kissed his lips. His hands fell to her hips and he gently traced his fingers over the delicate lace. She slowly pulled up his shirts up his chest, over his head letting them fall to the floor.

"Penny, this is a fire hazard." Sheldon squeaked out. She searched his face as she placed her hands on his chest. She felt his heart hammering in his chest, under her palms. His eyes steadily gazed into hers. She unconsciously nibbled at her bottom lip.

"Shut up, Sheldon." She whispered as she pressed her lips back to his. He closed his eyes and let her wash over him. He felt her hand caress his face as she gently teased and prodded his lips with her tongue. He leaned into her touch as his hands slowly ran up her back. Penny began to guide him to the soft mattress; she knelt down as she sat him on the edge of the bed.

Penny's nimble fingers worked at the belt that Sheldon was wearing. He watched with anticipation as she undid his pants and began tugging them down his legs. She licked her lips when she saw him straining against his underwear. Her fingers trailed up his thighs and hooked in his waistband.

He closed his eyes and slowly exhaled as she removed the last piece of clothing that separated him from her. His eyes found hers when she wrapped her hand around his girth. She gave him a devilish grin as she brought her mouth to him. He could feel her hot breath at his base, and she could feel him throbbing in her hand.

Sheldon gasped when he felt her hot tongue against his sensitive shaft. The anticipation of having her mouth engulf him made his brain foggy. Penny slowly ran her tongue up to his head. She wrapped her lips around him and gently sucked. He let out a low groan and he softly placed his hand in her hair.

Penny took him into her mouth in what seemed to be half inch intervals. She would take a bit of him in and slowly graze her lips back to their original starting point. The air was cold against his skin when she would return back to his tip. Sheldon shuddered as she took him fully into her mouth. He was pressing at the back of her throat and he could feel the hot air against his flesh when she would exhale through her nose.

Penny began to gently suck on him and it almost became too much for Sheldon. He felt his testicles tighten and he knew he couldn't hold on much longer. Penny felt him twitching in her mouth and she knew if she kept going he wouldn't last. She swallowed the saliva in her mouth, causing her to constrict around Sheldon's member.

He let out a moan and she started to remove him from her mouth. She gently grazed her teeth along his length and he sharply sucked in a breath through a clenched jaw. She swirled her tongue around his tip and he made a soft whining noise that Penny had never heard before. She took him out of her mouth and smiled up at him. He looked absolutely flabbergasted. She kissed his tip and stood up. His hands gripped at the backs of her thighs as he hungrily kissed her abdomen.

She caressed the back of his head as he licked up her stomach. His hands found their way to her bra and he eagerly unclasped it. He was quick in taking off the fabric that was hindering his progress. She sighed when he cupped her breast and played with her nipple piercing. His other hand gently petted her wet center through her panties. The lace only added to her anguish.

She let out a breathy moan when his hand slipped her panties to the side and began to gently tease her. His mouth was hot against her hardened nipple as he took her into his mouth. He licked and teased as he explored her aching center with his skilled fingers. Penny felt her knees buckle when Sheldon stroked her sensitive nub with his thumb. She cried out when he gently bit her nipple.

He felt her hands on his chest and she quickly pushed away from him. She took off her wet panties and crawled into Sheldon's lap. Her lips met his and they roughly pawed and groped at each other. Penny felt him pressing against her pleasure button, so she grasped him in her hand and guided him to her entrance.

She would only let his tip inside and then she would remove herself completely from him. Sheldon wanted to feel all that Penny had to offer, he did not appreciate her toying with him. He grasped at her hips and tried to push further inside, only to have her shift her hips and continue with the game she was playing.

"Stop being such a tease." Sheldon commanded. She giggled and kissed at his neck. He found his way back to her and this time she let him fully enjoy the sensation of being inside her. She moaned into his ear and buried her face in the crook of his neck. Sheldon felt Penny roll her hips against his and he felt her from all angles, all at once, this made his eyes roll into the back of his head. He heard her let out small whimpers as she rolled him around inside of her.

Sheldon quickly stood up and while he was still inside her, he turned around and pressed her back into the mattress. She wrapped her legs around him as he rhythmically drove into her. Sheldon pressed his forehead against Penny's shoulder and he felt her expand and contract around him with every thrust.

He felt like he was close to orgasm and he took Penny's shoulder into his mouth to keep from crying out. The sound he made was muffled and it echoed in Penny's ears. She tightened around him as she came. Her breaths were ragged and her moans were primitive. Sheldon needed something more, without thinking and acting primarily on instinct and primal urge, he grasped at her waist and flipped her over.

Penny laid on her stomach as Sheldon grasped at her hips. He thrust into her deeply and cried out. She pressed her face into the pillows and stifled her cries. Sheldon couldn't hang on any longer. He felt the tightness suddenly release and he felt his orgasm rush over him. It made his hair stand on end and his whole body shuddered, he came hard. He felt his mind being wiped clean as he pulled out and flopped down on the mattress beside his fiancé.

She shuffled and laid on her side facing Sheldon. Penny smiled at his serene expression. The candle light danced across his face and lit up his baby blues. Sheldon smiled back at her and grasped her hand in his. She watched as he lazily examined the ring on her finger.

"Penny, I love you." He said still gazing at her hand. She smiled and inched closer to him.

"I love you too, Shel." She replied as she looked at the beautiful ring he had given her.

"I also love the ring. It's everything I could have hoped for. Who knew you would be so awesome at picking out jewelry?" She teasingly quipped. He smirked at her and gave her a condescending look.

"Well, I am a genius. However, I didn't choose the ring. It was MeeMaw's engagement ring. She sent it to me a little while ago." He admitted. Her eyes grew wide. He had given her his grandmother's engagement ring, like it was no big deal. She stared at the ring in disbelief.

"I don't know what to say. I don't know if I can accept your grandmother's ring, Sheldon." Penny confessed. Sheldon frowned.

"Penny, you're being obtuse. My grandmother knew, just as I did, that you were, as they say, "the one". She wouldn't have given this to me if she was not absolutely sure." He reassured her. She smiled. She loved his MeeMaw even more in that moment.

Penny shuffled closer to Sheldon and laid her head on his chest. She listened as his heartbeat rhythmically thumped under his ribcage. Her fingers found their way to his chest hair and she made small counter-clockwise circles on his chest. Thoughts of their upcoming nuptials entered her mind. She started to panic at the thought of planning a wedding, buying a dress and being stressed through school.

"Shel?" She asked, trying to hide her panic. He looked down at her and placed his hand over hers.

"Yeah?" He replied. She looked up at him and pressed her lips together.

"Can we get married after I'm done school? I don't mean to ask for a long engagement, but I don't think I can handle the stress of planning a wedding and school." She quietly confessed. His other hand softly ran through her golden tresses.

"Penny, we can take all the time we need to." He said reassuringly as he coaxed her head back to resting on his chest. She smiled as she snuggled back into a comfortable position. They cuddled in a comfortable silence for a while before blowing out the candles and falling asleep in the darkness.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Thursday's were still reserved for pizza from Giacomo's. Sheldon sat in the living room with his friends while they waited for Penny to come back with the pizza order. She had left before their dinner guests had arrived.

Sheldon sat in his spot, while Howard and Bernadette sat next to him, Raj took a spot on the floor, and Leonard and Amy sat snuggled up in the white armchair. Things were so different than they were roughly half a year ago.

"So where's Andrew?" Bernadette asked. Raj smiled and took a sip of his diet coke. The girls liked having Raj's boyfriend around because he was always generous with his compliments.

"He has been working hard on his clinical study, if he finishes by August, he will be published in Europe's Journal of Psychology." He said brightly. Amy smiled at Raj. She loved that he could finally be himself.

"Then, he can take me on a trip to Paris after he meets with the scientific committee." He said dreamily. Penny opened the door and dropped Sheldon's keys into the bowl. She would take any opportunity to drive Sheldon's car. She smiled at her guests as she placed the pizza on the coffee table.

Penny sat down in the wooden chair beside Amy and Leonard. She casually placed her hands on her knees as everyone dug into their dinner. Amy stopped mid-reach and stared at Penny's left hand. It was almost like she had been blinded by the bling. Amy quickly sat back down and grasped Penny's hand into hers.

"Penny, are you and Sheldon betrothed?" She asked, she didn't mean to sound so shocked. Penny smiled at Amy as she gushed at her ring. She caught Sheldon's eye and gave him a sly grin. Sheldon smiled when everyone turned to him for an answer.

"Yes Amy, Penny and I are engaged." Sheldon simply stated as if he was reciting the periodic table. Bernadette ushered Howard off of the couch and patted the seat next to her. Penny stood up and sat down beside Bernadette. Amy quickly followed suit as she left Leonard's side to squish in beside Penny.

Congratulations flooded the room and everyone was giving their best wishes to the happy couple. Bernadette looked up at her husband and smiled. Howard moved to the wooden armchair and smiled back at his wife. He clasped his hands in front of him.

"Well, as my people say, Mazel Tov!" He said to Sheldon and nodded at Penny. He was so proud that Sheldon actually went through with it. He continued

"Bernadette and I also have exciting news. We're pregnant!" He said through a wide grin. Everyone smiled and another round of congratulations went around the room. The group half watched Walking Dead, and half talked about plans in the future.

Years ago, every person in that room would have said the odds of them ending up where they did would have been unlikely. But there they sat, four nerdy geniuses and a waitress from Nebraska, talking about weddings and children and love. The universe truly worked in mysterious ways.


End file.
